Storming Wings
by The JP
Summary: Maximum Ride/ Heroes crossover. Told from the POV of Max, Fang, and an OC of mine. The Flock is off to LA and go to a school there, where they meet a seemingly ordinary guy named Jackson. But first appearances are never as they seem...
1. Chapter 1: Lightning Rod

_**This is my first cross-series fanfic, so bear with me if it's not the best. It's a cross between Heroes and Maximum Ride, using an OC of mine from a Heroes fanfic I've just started on with a heavier emphasis on Maximum Ride. Takes place after MR2, but before MR3, and will switch POV between Max, Fang, and my OC Jackson, with a heavy emphasis on my OC.**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Heroes or Maximum Ride. Tim Kring and James Patterson, respectively, own them. I do, however, own my OC. **_

**Max POV**

You want to know why people have dreams about flying? Not the airplane type, mind you, but really flying free through the sky. It's because it's so darn amazing.

Imagine the most fun thing you can. Now take that fun factor, and multiply it by ten. After that, you have the smallest fraction of how fun flying is. That euphoric freedom, that sense of vastness as you look out at the world below you, and realize that nothing could tie you down.

Well, almost nothing. It would be nothing, if it weren't for that nagging Voice always telling me what to do. We were somewhere over Nevada when it had to pop its annoying presence inside my head.

_Max, I know you want to just go somewhere and forget about everything, but you can't be on the run forever. I would suggest going to Los Angeles. I have a house set up, and six spots at a private school there._

_Oh great,_ I thought, _another school! After leaving the school with the tasering teachers, I don't think any of us want to go back to one anytime soon._

_Sorry Max, but you don't have a choice in this. _The Voice flashed an image of a school in an upscale LA neighborhood, and the image panned over a little bit to a nice house a few blocks away. _There's your school, and there's the house. _Another image flashed into my head. _Here's the address._

_Perfect,_ I thought, _but why California? Why not, say, Texas?_

_Because, Max, you're also going to be on the lookout for certain people there. They're not recombinant DNA experiments, like you: they have a genetic mutation that grants them superhuman abilities. None of them have had a mutation that makes them grow wings, and we haven't found any that can fly yet, but there are some outlandish events. There might be some at the school you're going to, and it's more present in younger generations. Just try to enjoy it, okay Max? You're starting on Monday. Just try and enjoy it, okay?_

I didn't respond to that. People with a natural genetic mutation? Superhumans? All of this sounded strangely like the School, or ter Borcht's work.

Angel came up next to me. She looked at me with large, innocent eyes.

"Max, why are we heading to Los Angeles, and why do we have to go to school there?"

Fang heard this and gave me a death glare. Oh boy…

**Jackson POV**

The alarm rang way too loudly, waking me out of my nice reverie. I had one of those flying dreams, and while I can fly myself it takes way too much effort and exertion for me to do it on a daily basis. After pressing snooze a few times, I finally zapped the stupid clock and got out of bed.

Well, I guess this would be a great time for introductions. My name is Jackson Davis. I am 15 years old, and I'm superhuman. I'm not superhuman in the cliché super-strength or laser eyes type. No, much cooler: I can generate and manipulate electricity. Oh the infinite number of insane things I can do with this: charge my phone, drain somebody else's phone, give people small electric shocks, cause blackouts (took a while to not cause them every time I sneezed), fly for limited periods of time, and my favorite, shoot lightning bolts or concentrated beams of electricity. Sometimes, depending on the weather, I can also call a lightning bolt down from the sky. It's pretty cool, I must admit. I found out about this in 7th grade, when somebody tried to beat me up with a metal baseball bat. The instant the bat touched my skin, an electric charge ran up it, and my ability appeared. I decided very quickly to keep this a secret from everybody, even my parents. Only three people besides me know about this, and I swore them to secrecy after an incident in France where I lost control. Since then, I've been refining my control over my power so that, among other things, I didn't electrocute myself every time I took a shower.

Speaking of which, I took a fast shower, and got ready for school. Today was going to be interesting: I'd gotten an e-mail the night before that there were 6 new students, three of which were in the sophomore class… my grade. Sweet. Hopefully I could befriend them before they were tainted by some of the jackasses and morons that called 10th grade their home.

I made sure I was dressed decently (no holes in the jeans, no rips in the shirt) and headed on my short walk to school. Naturally, there was going to be a grade meeting to introduce the new students. I'd sent an e-mail back to the dean asking if I could be the one to show them around campus, and whaddya know, I share all my classes with one of them and most with the other two. Perfect.

When I arrived on campus, I checked the schedule, and noticed that the grade assembly was… well, first thing. I headed on over to the theater so that I could get a seat in the front row. They were probably already there waiting.

When I arrived in the theater, my prediction was correct: they were there waiting. I saw three kids, two guys and a girl. As soon as I opened the door, all three of them were watching me as I walked in. Man, talk about a warm welcome. They all seemed really on edge, as if they could have jumped me at any minute.

The taller of the two guys was wearing perfectly black clothing: black shirt, black jacket, black jeans, black Vans, you name it. He also had black hair. Go figure. I immediately pinned him as the mysterious one in the group, and set my mind to trying to find out more about him specifically.

The shorter of the two guys had this strange, faraway look in his eyes, which is when I realized that he was blind. He had strawberry-blond hair, and very fair skin. He was dressed more like me, just minus the button-down over my T-shirt.

The girl had striking blond hair, and I must admit, she was really attractive. I can't quite put my finger on it, maybe it's just that blonds are my type, but she was really beautiful. She was wearing a jean jacket over a T-shirt, with a pair of jeans and Converse that looked kinda torn apart.

The three of them (well, two of them at least) were staring at me intently, and I immediately picked up something very strange about them: they didn't have the type of electrical signature a normal human had.

You see, there's one other thing I can do with my ability: I can see the activity that's going on in somebody's brain. Everybody's brain has a unique electrical signature, and humans had a very specific type that all of them conformed to. But something was different about these three: the signature was somewhat erratic, not quite human but not quite anything else either. I'd have to look into it. Now, time to introduce myself.

"Hi there, and welcome to Brentwood! The name's Jackson Davis, pleasure to meet you all. What are your names?"

"Jeff," the blind kid said first. "Nice to meet you too." He held out his hand, but before I could reach out to shake it the girl grabbed my wrist and pulled it away. She pulled something out of his hand; it was a small buzzer toy that kids use.

"Jeff," she said, "don't electrocute somebody you've never met." Electrocute? I grabbed the little toy and activated it. Sure enough, I felt an electrical charge going into me. Thank goodness I'm immune to them.

"Yeah, it was electrified alright. You're lucky that I'm the one who tested it; anybody _else_ would have taken the shock." Jeff stared at me (or stared at me as well as a blind kid can) and seemed kind of taken aback at this.

"That's nice to know," the girl said. "My name's Max." I shook her hand, noticing something very strange: Jeff's electrical signature changed to indicate he was lying when he said his name, but Max's didn't… was Jeff not the guy's real name?

"I'm Nick," the brooding guy said in the corner. I had to look for a second before I saw him. Strange: he was lying also.

"Nice to meet you too, Nick. Anyways, after the assembly to introduce you to everybody, I'm going to show you around campus. Can I see all of your schedules please?"

The three of them pulled out schedules, and I saw that Nick shared every single class with me. They all shared my free class period (score), Max had three classes with me, and Jeff had two besides the free class.

"Well now that's interesting. Nick, we have all the same classes. Max, we share history, English, and science, and Jeff, you and I share science and math. I'll warn you though Jeff: math class is going to be the biggest bore-fest you could possibly imagine, but it's worse for Nick, he actually has to see the teacher."

Jeff let out a slight chuckle at that, and Max punched him on the arm. A moment later, the bell rang. The three of them jumped maybe six inches into the air each, all looking around strangely.

I sighed. "Relax you three, that was just the bell signaling the start of classes, or in today's case, the start of assembly. People are going to start piling in pretty shortly." Sure enough, five minutes later, the theater was filled. Max, Jeff, Nick and I were standing over to the side. "Now remember, you want to give these people the best possible impression of who you all are. Don't act all gloomy or nothing."

"Yeah F-Nick. Brighten up a little will ya?" After saying this Max smacked him playfully on the arm, a lot more gently than she had punched Jeff. Something was off though… why the 'F' before the 'Nick'? And what was the 'F' for? I would just have to find out later.

After the assembly was over, I took on the task of showing the three of them around the school, conversing along the way. Nick was exceptionally silent though; hopefully I could get him to open up in class.

"So here are the science classrooms, all four of them. They're all pretty big, so that's nice. If you want to blow stuff up, you've gotta get the teachers to help you, and even then it's pretty rare for them to agree. Anyway, you say you're all adopted and that you have three more younger siblings?"

"Yup," Nick answered. That's all he'd said all day. Amazing I'd coaxed even that out of him.

"We have a few more siblings," Max said for him. "Crystal, Zephyr, and Ariel."

"Huh," I said. "Eclectic names. So where did you all live while you were growing up?"

"You don't want to know," Nick butted in again. From his electrical signature, I could tell that just thinking about his past was deeply troubling, so I let that line of discussion go right then and there. Something about these three was still bugging me though: they all seemed to be keeping some really big secret, and I couldn't pry it out of them. Eventually I'll figure it out, but until then, I'll keep guessing.

"So now, I'm going to take you three to the athletic facilities and show you around there." And wouldn't you know it, that's exactly where trouble found us.

**Fang POV**

This Jackson kid has been showing us around the whole school, and he's been running this mouth the whole time. It's like the Nudge Channel, only with a male voice.

"So where did you all live while you were growing up?" This was the only thing he said that actually broke through my consciousness. I didn't want to give Max or Iggy a chance to answer, because Iggy is mischievous and Max will run her mouth until the whole world knew about us. He may have already seen my blog, and if so he would be able to put two and two together from the descriptions of our personalities that I posted up there. But back to the matter at hand: ending the childhood line of discussion.

"You don't want to know." I figured that would shut him up and keep him from wondering for a while. The less people that figured out we were mutant bird kids on the run the better.

I couldn't help but wonder how I'd been put into every single class with this guy. He was definitely going to try to get close to me, be my friend, coax secrets out. Well, I would tell him my secrets if he had something equally good to share, but only enough that I could keep him dangling.

Of course, secrets don't stay hidden for long in places like Los Angeles. We were no different.

**Jackson POV**

I was showing them the athletic facilities of the school. I'd shown them the football field, the track, the baseball fields, and was heading towards our basketball pavilion, this time staying silent because there wasn't much more to talk about. I already knew everything about these three that they were willing to let slip, and Nick kept a tight grip on the reins of the information leaving Max and Jeff's mouths.

When we got the pavilion, I felt something strange: more erratic electrical signatures. A moment later, three men in black leather clothes came out from behind the pavilion. They were really hairy guys; however, their electrical signatures were anything but human. What was going on?

I had no idea, but Max, Nick and Jeff apparently knew all too well.

"Jackson, run!" Max yelled at me and pushed me backwards. I knew that things were going to get ugly, but I didn't want to leave. I ran behind the pavilion, and using my lightning, engaged my limited flight and lifted myself up on top of the pavilion to a point where I could see Max and her brothers.

"You little birds thought you could escape, didn't you?" The first of the hairy guys said. Birds? What the hell was going on?

"Just what we need, Erasers raining on our parade." Nick was very cynical when he said this, but I was clueless. What the hell was an Eraser? My question was answered soon enough.

The three men started convulsing, and morphed. I had to cover my mouth so that I didn't voice my disgust. Their faces elongated to a very lupine appearance, hair sprouted all over their bodies, and they grew immense claws, looking like your typical werewolf. Things were going from bad to worse pretty quickly. I had to help those three!

The Erasers charged Max and co. Nick jumped in pretty fast and landed a nice blow on each Eraser, all of which landed with a sickening thud. However, the wolf-men weren't even phased by this. They didn't even look like they'd been attacked! I had to help them now!

"Max, Nick, Jeff! Get out of the way, fast!" I started to gather the electrical energy in my hands, but none of them could see it. The Erasers looked up at me and licked their chops, like Wile E. Coyote. Great…

"Max, I'm being serious! Get out of the way if you don't want to die!" That got through. The three of them backed away, and I prepared my unnecessarily heroic entrance. I concentrated even more electricity into my hands, and jumped off of the pavilion, clenching my hands together.

"How do you like _this_?!"

Right before I hit the ground, I swung my hands down like a hammer, releasing the electricity I had stored up into a giant shockwave, electrocuting each of the Erasers and knocking them back ten feet. The shockwave also prevented me from being injured by the fall, and Nick, Jeff, and Max couldn't do anything but stare at me.

The Erasers weren't down for the count though. They just got right back up. What _were_ these things?

"Damn it!" I cried out. "That usually works!" I looked up at the sky… and let a wicked grin spread across my face. I started cackling maniacally, and everybody, even the Erasers, was confused.

I raised my hand up into the air, putting my thumb and middle finger together for a snap, while extending my index finger straight out. I brought my hand down, snapped, and pointed at the middle of all the Erasers.

A fraction of a second later, a lightning bolt came down from the sky, striking the Erasers with all its might. As soon as the flash of light faded, the Erasers were no more. All that was left was a bundle of charred leather clothing. I had increased the intensity of that lightning bolt to five times what it would normally be, which would explain the effect.

I turned around and saw that Max, Nick, and Jeff were staring at me incredulously. Well, Jeff was staring as best as a blind kid could stare.

"If you and all your siblings come over to my house after school, I'll explain everything… and maybe you can also tell me what your real names are and what you're hiding." I saw Nick and Jeff both change their facial expressions remarkably quickly when I said that one.

"Let's head back to the rest of the campus now, shall we?" With that, I turned around and started walking back to the main campus.

**Max POV**

Who the hell is this guy? He jumps off of a building and lets out an electrical burst, then calls a lightning bolt out of the sky? I've seen a lot of things in my day, but this was a new one. How did he get on top of that building in the first place?

On top of that, how did he know that Nick and Jeff weren't Fang and Iggy's real names?

_Max,_ the Voice chimed in, _he's one of the superhumans I told you about._

_As if I hadn't already figured that out, wise guy,_ I snapped back at it.

What, you don't have a Voice in your head? Sorry, Wal-mart sold out, and isn't restocking any time soon.

_Max, this is no time for jokes. The reason you're looking for them is because the School is after their powers, and wants to replicate them._

This all sounded very familiar… oh, wait. That's because it was familiar.

"You three coming, or are you going to stand there all day? Next class starts in ten minutes!" Jackson was already close to the football field, while we were still looking at charred leather. I snapped myself out of my reverie, and started heading back with Jackson. Fang and Iggy were quick to follow.

"So," I said playfully, "what class is next for everybody?"

Jackson motioned for my schedule, and seemed pleased. "All four of us have science next. Do you know any chemistry?" How about what chemicals people used to unravel our DNA and replace it with two percent bird genes?

I didn't say that of course. Instead, I just nodded.

"Good," he said. "You three are probably going to be my lab partners for today. We're playing with fire this time." I saw an evil glint in his eye. Uh oh… don't tell me he was a pyromaniac too?

"Stop worrying! I'm not going to set the school on fire!... I just think it looks cool, that's all."

"Yeah, well you sure had me fooled." Fang had suddenly popped up behind Jackson, and the walking generator jumped a few inches in the air and very nearly electrocuted Fang.

"What the hell Nick! Don't scare me like that, I'd rather not shock you."

"Whatever." Fang looked forward and stopped talking after that. Iggy was right next to us the whole time, smirking.

"And Jeff," I said, remembering to use his cover name, "don't go making any explosives either. Okay?" Iggy looked pretty downcast at that. I think he was looking forward to making little lightning bombs with Jackson. Too bad for him. Now, I just had to get through the rest of the day, and make sure that Jackson didn't bug out when the Flock told the truth. I just hoped he wasn't one of Them.

______________________________________________________________________________

I was in my last class of the day (thank God), and it was English. After the teacher introduced me, I went and sat in the corner, trying to remain as inconspicuous as possible. If we suddenly had to leave in the middle of the school year, I didn't want anybody to realize that the Ride family had just up and gone.

While the teacher was rambling on, one of the other girls passed me a note.

**New girl, huh?**

I looked around for who wrote the note. I saw a blond girl whose clothes looked like they cost over a hundred bucks just to clean, and she smiled at me. Guess I knew now who wrote the note.

**Yeah, I am. My name's Max. What's yours?**

I passed the note back, and a few moments later got a response.

**Max huh? Is that short for Maxine? Never mind. My name's Alexandra. Nice to meet you!**

I quickly wrote my response, and handed the note back.

**Nice to meet you too. Anybody here I should stay away from?**

She took her sweet time writing this one.

**Well there's this John guy who likes nothing better than going up to girls and grabbing their asses, so stay away from him. That Jackson kid who showed you around is kind of weird too; he apologizes every time there's a blackout. Candice's clique is just a big group of sluts, so stay away from them.**

Wow, very detailed, but I didn't like that she ripped on Jackson. He's a nice guy, and even put himself in danger to help us. This John, on the other hand, would probably need a good butt-kicking, courtesy of Max.

After nearly an hour of sitting there twiddling my thumbs, the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Of course, I still jumped out of my seat, and everybody in the class turned and looked at me. If there was one thing I hated, it was being the center of attention. I grabbed my books, shoved them in my bag, and got out of there as fast as I could.

Jackson, Fang, and Iggy were waiting for me by my locker. Iggy's was right next to mine, and Jackson was busy rigging up the locker so that Iggy never had to put in his combination to open it. Damn, this kid thought of everything, didn't he?

"There ya go Jeff, you'll never need to put in your combo to open this thing up anymore. Nick, I hope you were watching, cause you can do yours by yourself; last time I checked, you can see the hole I put the branch through."

Fang didn't answer Jackson though. He just looked my way, and let out his trademark "yo".

I gave him a quick nod, then quickly turned to Jackson to take him up on his offer of letting the whole Flock go to his house.

"Alright, we'll go over to your place once we pick the other three up. Where do you live?"

Jackson didn't answer. He just pointed his finger at a house that was just past some bushes.

"Wow… that's not far from our house. Maybe a block at the most." Fang said that this time. Guess maybe he was warming up to Jackson. Fang with a friend? That'd be a first.

"Yeah, really. But remember: once I spill my guts, you all spill yours. Okay? And if any more of those Eraser things come around, I'm gonna reduce them to ashes again, just without the lightning bolt."

"So _that's_ what that noise was!" Jeff proclaimed, just a little too loudly. I shushed him, then started walking down to the middle school, where Nudge and Gazzy were.

When I saw Nudge, I realized she'd had no problem making friends. She was surrounded by about ten other girls, all of whom were talking really fast. Guess the Nudge Channel had finally met its rival!

Then there was Gazzy, who was out on the field throwing a football around. Seems he'd blended in pretty easily.

"Crystal! Zephyr! Time to go!" Nudge said goodbye to her new friends, and Gazzy begrudgingly dropped the football and plodded over. "Alright everybody, let's go get Ariel and then we're going over to Jackson's house." I pointed at Jackson, who was busy acting like a carbon copy of Fang. I didn't think they were so similar.

Fang came over to me. "I'll go pick up Angel, you take everybody else over to Jackson's house and tell everybody just how much to say. See you in ten." I nodded, then turned to Jackson. "Nick's going to go pick up Ariel. Lead the way."

**Jackson POV**

I lead Max, Jeff, Zephyr, and Crystal over to my house. When we got up to the gate, I put my hand on it, and sent a very specific type of electrical current through it. The motor creaked to life, and the gate opened.

"How did you do that? What did you do? How is that gate moving anyway?" Crystal just couldn't shut up, could she? She'd been talking the whole way back to my house!

"The gate is moving because of motors. The rest I'll explain later. Come on in and put your things down somewhere." Everybody shrugged their backpacks off and dropped them on the floor. About a minute later, Nick arrived with the last girl, Ariel.

Wait a minute—the elementary school was at _least_ a ten-minute walk. How the hell did they get back so fast?

"Well, um, that was pretty quick. Come on out to the backyard, and I'll spill my guts."

I lead everybody out to my backyard. I had a swimming pool and a tennis court with a couple of basketball hoops on the side. My parents were out of town in Vegas for the week, and they'd left me on my own because they considered me responsible. There was no party at the house rule unfortunately. Bummer.

I turned around to face the six of them, and began my little shpiel.

"Alright, first off my name's Jackson Davis. I've already met Max, Nick, and Jeff, but why don't you all introduce yourselves again just for the sake of things?

"I'm Ariel," the young girl said. She had blond hair, just like Max, but maybe a shade brighter. She stared at me kind of funny. "Why are your thoughts all staticky? I can't pick up anything!"

Umm… she was reading my mind? That pissed me off really bad… I gave an angry look on my face, and opened and closed my left hand faster than most people would care to notice. Behind her, a light socket shorted out, making everybody jump.

"First lesson: stay out of my head. Next!"

"Name's Zephyr," the youngest boy said. He let out a fart to compliment that. "Sorry, I can't hold it in." Another lie, just like all the names I'd heard so far besides Max's.

"Hi, I'm Crystal! What kind of food do you like? Do you like hot dogs? How about hamburgers?"

"Umm… a big juicy steak, no, and cheeseburgers more so than hamburgers."

"You already know me, but I'm Jeff."

"Nick," he mumbled. He didn't talk much.

"And I'm Max," Max finally said. "And this is my humble family."

"Alright," I said. "Now that I know your names, first I'll tell you a little more about me, give a small demonstration, and then you can tell me your _real_ names. Except for Max, that's her real name." All of them were kind of taken aback at that, like I was some kind of lie detector.

"Like I said before, I'm Jackson Davis. I'm 15, and I've lived in Los Angeles all my life. I'm also not quite human."

That piqued their interest. "I guess a demonstration is in order."

I held out my right hand, and gathered my energy into it. A few moments later, there was a small orb of ball lightning floating there. I grabbed the ball with my left, and shot out a small lightning bolt at a branch that was lying on the ground, igniting it in flames. Everybody was staring at me with awe, as if I was the second coming of Christ.

"Well, now that you know what I can do, I guess the only thing you can do I reciprocate in kind."

Nick was about to start speaking, when Max held her arm out. "It's okay, I'll handle this." She came over to me, and one by one pointed at the others while telling me their real names, starting with the youngest.

"That's Angel, he's the Gasman, Nudge is the one who won't shut up, Iggy's a blind pyromaniac, and Fang you already know. And as you know, for the third time, I'm Max."

"Okay," I said. "That's great, but what's this huge secret you're hiding?" I was facing Max, when suddenly I heard a strange _whoosh_ behind me. When I turned around, the other five were gone. I heard a similar noise, and when I turned around to look at Max, my eyes went wide.

Max was still there, but… well, how am I supposed to say this? She had huge freaking _wings_ growing out of her back! I thought _I_ was weird, but this?

"What the hell…"

"We're recombinant DNA experiments," Max said. "We've been kidnapped, nearly killed, experimented on, tested, and tortured more than you can imagine. We're 98% human, and 2% bird, which explains our wings. And yes, we can fly. Just look up!"

As soon as I tilted my head skyward, Max jumped straight up, and joined the other five, who were airborne about fifteen feet above the ground. Guess I should join them!

I gathered immense amounts of electricity, but instead of releasing it I stored it inside my own body. I began to glow blue in the arms and legs, and slowly started rising up off the ground. I levitated up to Max and company, while they just looked on.

"I can fly too, but there's a catch: I can only sustain this for at most an hour if I use all my energy, and in my current state, maybe thirty minutes. Now, if you don't mind, can we all go back on the ground?" They all nodded, and in near perfect unison, we all went back onto terra firma. They pulled in their wings, while I dissipated the electricity I had gathered into the ground so that I didn't kill the next person I touched.

"Well… um, that's pretty interesting but why—"

"Hang on," Max interrupted. "Do you hear that?"

I didn't hear anything, but I opened up my senses and noticed two peoples' electrical signatures near the gate to my house. Something about them was…

"Oh no. Oh god no."

**Max POV**

"Oh no. Oh god no."

As soon as I heard Jackson say that, I immediately started panicking. Whoever had just entered his home, if they could make a guy who shot lightning out of his hand scared, then I didn't want to mess with them.

Jackson turned towards us, all color drained from his face.

"You six need to get out of here, now! Quickly, and quietly. The Company is here to try and take me in, and I don't want them to get their grimy hands on you guys. Go! I'll hold them off!"

_Max,_ Angel thought into my head, _Are we really going to just leave him here?_

_No, we're not. Just get out of sight, and try to read the minds of whoever just came in._

_I already tried Max, I can't! It's like there's a brick wall around their minds!_

If I wasn't worried before, I was now. I had to hold my wings taught against my back so that I didn't start flying because of jittery nerves. Jackson was already heading up the stairs, to whoever was inside. We were behind him the whole time, checking out the action to see if we needed to step in.

I had heard two intruders, but I only saw one standing in front of us. He was middle-aged, wearing a suit and horn-rimmed glasses. But where's the other one?

"Noah Bennet," Jackson said, maintaining his distance from the intruder. "What do you want from me now?"

"The Company has deemed you too dangerous to be left out in the world. You killed three people today, Jackson. Just like that time in France."

"Back in France, those people were criminals! They tried to rape my friend, and I couldn't even control myself! And those three today weren't even human, you know I swore to never kill a human again!... You know what, I'm through trying to reason with you, Noah." Jackson held up his hand, and created a small orb of lightning, but almost as soon as it appeared, the orb started vanishing. A strange, downcast expression appeared on Jackson's face.

Then, the second intruder appeared. He was tall, and looked like he was Haitian. How did I know that? I have no clue. Jackson resumed talking.

"So… you just had to bring him along, didn't you? Guess I don't stand a chance now. You might as well just give me a tranquilizer and bring me in." Instead, the Haitian guy held out his hand, and a moment later, Jackson fell to the floor, unconscious.

The one he called Noah Bennet took a phone out of his pocket and made a call.

"It's Bennet. We got him."

I made one of my famous split-second decisions, and this was one I'd especially regret.

"Oh no you don't!" I came rushing out from behind the wall, and slammed my fist straight into HRG's stomach. He keeled over, and the Haitian guy was about to try and knock me out, but Fang was already onto him. His attack was worthless, though. The Haitian touched his hand to Fang's forehead, and just moments later Fang was unconscious on the floor. He knocked out Iggy, Gazzy, Nudge, and Angel, and left me for last.

"I don't know who you six are," HRG said, "but the Company will probably take a great interest into all of you." HRG hit me in about three places at once, and I was just barely on the verge of consciousness. I heard the man with the horn-rimmed glasses say one last thing into his cell phone before I blacked out…

"This is Bennet. Prepare two cells on Level Five. We got a few… extras."


	2. Chapter 2: The Company

**Well, here's chapter two. It's not going to be as long as the first one, I'll admit, that was waaay too long to have been a single chapter. My bad!**

**I've gotten a little criticism that my Jackson character is too van uber powerful… that's because you guys don't know about the immense catch-22s that come with his powers. What are they? You'll see… *****rubs hands together like the evil genius he is*******

**Fang POV**

As soon as I realized that I was awake, I bolted upright. I took a view of my surroundings: I was in a cell with Iggy, Gasman, Nudge, and Angel, but Max was nowhere to be seen? Where was she?

I was still a little groggy, but that didn't keep me from hearing strange noises coming from my right. I turned around, and out of the window of whatever cell this was I saw large flashes of blue light coming from what could only have been another cell. I was willing to bet ten bucks right then that Jackson was in the adjoining cell.

"Hey! Anybody here!" I yelled out in the brief pause between the blasts of blue light.

"Fang! Is that you? Where is everybody else?" It was Jackson. Somebody owed me ten bucks.

"Yeah, it's me. All of us are in here except for Max. Do you know where they took her?"

"Yes, I do."

"Tell me. Now." There was no time for playing games. We needed to get out and find Max, before these guys did anything crazy.

"It wouldn't exactly help you at the moment, considering we're _trapped_ in here! Alright, here's the deal: every cell here is specially tailored to disarming the captive. Your cell, however, doesn't have any security measures active. There's a keypad in there that requires a five digit code. How long will it take you to crack it?"

"Nudge, get over here," I said. "Try and open the door," I stated while pointing at the keypad.

"As soon as you guys find that one, you're gonna need to get me out too," Jackson said. "There's no keypad in my cell; I'd just short it out and escape."

"Hold on a second," Nudge said, eyes closed. She punched in five numbers: two nine two nine seven. The door made a strange clicking noise, and I pulled it open. We were out, and went over to the other cell to get Jackson, who was still desperately trying to blast the glass with lightning bolts.

"If it hasn't worked yet, it's not going to now, you idiot," I grumbled. "Nudge, open it up." Nudge went over to this keypad, and punched in a different set of five: nine six two eight seven. It clicked, and Jackson opened it nearly as fast as I had. He stepped out of the cell, and just as quickly broke into a run.

"Follow me! I'll take you to Max, I know where she is!"

**Max POV**

When I came to, I was sitting down in some chair that, strangely enough, was really comfortable. For once, a kidnapper who knew how to treat his guests with hospitality! Or so I thought. When I tried to brush some of my hair away that was hanging in my face, I couldn't move my arms from the chair. When I looked down, I saw my arms were tied down with twine. Nothing that I couldn't break with my genetically enhanced strength, of course, but I would probably wind up revealing myself. These people thought we were 'evolved humans', as my Voice called them. I knew Jackson was one, and that Haitian guy probably was too, but who else? Who were these people?

"Hello? Anybody here?" I called out in vain. Of course there was nobody here. Not yet anyways.

Just then, a door behind me opened. I tried to turn around and look, but I couldn't; the chair's back was too high. The newcomer was visible soon enough: An older woman who was wearing clothes that looked like they cost the same amount of money as the Flock's old house in the mountains. She sat down at the desk and leaned forward, and for some reason she gave off this strange maternal feeling. It's hard to describe, but she was both welcoming and sinister.

"It seems you're awake dearie," she said. "My name is Angela Petrelli. What's your name, young lady?"

"Max," I spat. "Who are you, and what do you want with me and my family."

"A little feisty, aren't we? Don't worry, my dear, they're not in any danger. We didn't want to take them in, only the Davis boy. You and your family were… interlopers, should I say."

"And what did you want with my friend?" I didn't know what she was getting at, but she was creeping me out. Something about the way she talked…

"Jackson Davis is a danger to everybody around him. He killed three people today, and—"

"He killed three people that weren't even close to human, and I was there to see it. Those creatures were monstrosities the moment they exited the womb, and don't deserve the right to live. Did I say womb? No, I meant test tube. Now that you know he didn't kill a human being, can you let him, my family, and me go?"

Angela cocked her head slightly to the side, amused at what I had just said about the Erasers not being human, and being born from test tubes.

"Interesting. Care to elaborate?"

"If I told you the whole story, you wouldn't believe me."

"Would you believe that my son has saved the world twice?"

I very nearly did a double take when she said that. Her son saved the world? Twice? He had a better track record than I did… maybe I didn't need to save the world.

_Yes you do Max,_ the Voice said (at yet another inopportune moment). _She's telling the truth, but don't believe anything else she says for a second. She tried to murder her own husband, and nearly had New York blown up._ What?! This woman was insane!

"Okay, yeah, whatever, not like everybody and their grandmother hasn't saved the world these days. Now, are you going to let us go, or do things have to turn ugly?"

"Nothing you do can faze me, dearie. I already know how I will die, and you're not how. You're not even an evolved human. How can you even hope to try and kill me?"

"Wouldn't you like to know…"

Just then, the door behind us blew open. "Max!" I heard Fang's voice, and everybody ran up to the chair. Fang untied me from the chair, and whispered into my ear "why didn't you just break the twine?"

"You think I like being experimented on?" I answered back.

"Well well," Angela said. All of us turned to face her. Jackson already had a lightning orb in hand.

"Angela, I would suggest that if you don't want to look like a piece of fried chicken that you let us all go silently." I cracked up when Jackson said that, he just turned and glared at me. "How about it? And this time, these six will have no problem against the Haitian. They just didn't know what he could do."

Angela didn't appear to be fazed by the sudden appearance of reinforcements. "I see no harm in letting you all go. I've learned as much as I possibly can from you, my girl." I spat when she said that. "I see no harm in letting you all go." She pulled something out of a desk drawer and tossed it to Jackson. "Those are keys to one of the Company's vehicles. Jackson knows how to drive, he should be able to get you all home safely. Am I right, my boy?"

"Don't, _ever_ call me _your_ boy, you heartless bitch. You were willing to sacrifice all of New York and _your own son_ to further some hidden agenda that wasn't even guaranteed to work! People like you make me sick. Just like those muggers I killed in France over a year ago."

Jackson turned around and started heading out. The rest of the Flock followed him.

Out in the parking lot, we all got into the car (it was a tight squeeze), and started heading out. Jackson may have been a much better driver than I was, but I still didn't like cars. I asked him to pull over after about a mile, and the Flock all got out. We went into the forest, spread our wings, and started flying home.

I got a text message on a cell phone I had gotten only recently: "I'll see you guys tomorrow." It was from Jackson. I put my phone back into my pocket, and kept flying back home. I know that Angel wanted to see Total, and he was probably worried sick about Angel.

_So, Max, what do you think of your first day in Los Angeles?_ It was the Voice again.

_It's strange. You send us here to look for these evolved humans, and of course the first person we meet happens to be one of them. Then we get abducted by a few more, meet some old lady with a mystery agenda, and are let right back out. What the hell is going on?_

_I don't know Max. All I know is that you need to protect Jackson. The School is trying to find the evolved humans so that they can find out how they acquired their powers, then replicate them and give them to their recombinant DNA experiments._

That sounded bad, and I definitely didn't want that to happen. Protect Jackson it was, then.


	3. Chapter 3: Equilibrium

**Well, that was certainly an exciting first day! Anyways, here's onto some of the "normal life" chapters… The Flock settles in, Max gets her feelings hurt, Fang gets into a fight, Iggy blows something up muhaha… Sorry to say this but no parts of my story are going to be told from the POV of Gasman, Nudge, or Angel. I'm definitely focusing on high school life.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride, James Patterson does. I do not own Heroes, Tim Kring etc. do. I do, however, own Jackson, and his soon-to-be-introduced girlfriend. What's her name? Read on… you'll see.**

**Jackson POV**

God, my head is pounding! The alarm blared way too loud yet again, and when I finally turned it off, I had to think about what had happened yesterday.

Did we get six new students? Yes.

Did I kill three half-human monstrosities with a lightning bolt? Also a yes.

Did Max, Fang, and company have wings? Yes, and that's the part I had to trick myself into believing again.

Did the Company come and abduct us? Yes to that; whenever the Company abducts you and you happen to _escape_, you tend to remember it. If they release you back out, first they give the Haitian a field day. And as far as I could tell, my memories were all intact.

All this brought me to the ultimate question. Why were these six Avian Americans, as they called themselves, here in Los Angeles? Shouldn't they be out roaming the world proper? Shouldn't _I_ be doing that too?

I got into the shower, let the water heat up, stepped in—and cried out in pain. I'd just electrocuted myself on the water because my thoughts had wandered!

_Idiot, how the hell did you do that? You haven't electrocuted yourself in the shower for over six months, so why now? Did it have to do with your abduction?_ I couldn't answer any of these questions though.

I finished up with my shower, got dressed, and headed out for school. I had a headphone in one ear, and the other hanging limply… go figure, I'm just another teenager and that's what teenagers do, right?

When I arrived at school, I started looking around for the Flock's signatures. They were here, all right. Max, Fang, and Iggy were all at roughly where my locker was, Nudge was surrounded by ten or so regular humans, and Gasman was playing soccer. Angel was at the elementary school, so I couldn't see her here.

I headed up the stairs to my locker, and sure enough, all three of them were right there.

"Yo Nick, Max, Jeff. You guys all right?"

"Yeah." Fang gave a one-word response, as I'd figured out that he did constantly. He was sitting on the ground with a laptop in front of him, typing furiously.

"What're you typing, Nick?" I had to use his cover name for this, because I was the only regular student who knew their real names.

"He's typing up his next blog post," Iggy replied for Fang, so that the latter could continue typing. "It's a blog about our various mishaps and misadventures since breaking out of the School."

"Umm," I started. "You guys never told me what the "School" is. You guys didn't get to that part when the Company showed up."

Before Max could answer, the bell rang. "Crap, gotta go. C'mon Nick, time for history. Put the computer away before I break it."

Fang scowled at me, then shut the laptop and got up. We headed on over to class, while Max and Iggy went to a different room.

Fang and I were the last two to walk into the classroom. My usual seat was open, and luckily (or unluckily depending on how you look at it) the one directly behind mine was open as well. We sat down, and the teacher started speaking.

"Good morning students! Since we didn't have this class yesterday, I'll point out that we have a new student joining us. Would you care to introduce yourself?"

"Nick." Fang barely looked up when he said this, and just went straight back to leaning against the wall since we were seated on the far side of the room.

"Well, Nick, it's very nice to meet you. Now why don't you tell the class something about you that nobody would have guessed?"

"If I did, you wouldn't believe me." After saying that, Fang pulled out his laptop and started typing up more for his blog. Good thing nobody was behind him.

"Umm… okay then, everybody make Nick here feel welcome. Now, if you would all open your books to page 186…"

**Max POV**

I was kind of annoyed that we had to take a foreign language in this school. Why bother? I didn't see myself going out of the country anytime soon; besides all you get are the basics from these. Has anybody ever _really_ gotten fluent by taking a high school language class? Apparently the stuffy administrators at this school seemed to think so.

Iggy and I reached the class, but it was locked. So we waited outside for the Latin teacher to come and open it up. Seriously, how did we get stuck with a dead language? Why not Spanish, or something useful? I mean, Fang got put in French with Jackson, which can actually be of some use!

The first normal student to show up was a big guy wearing a letterman jacket. I immediately pinned him as the "asshole jock" type. Sure enough, I was right.

"Hey baby, you the new girl? Nice to meet ya, though I'm pretty sure you're even happier to meet me." Yep, asshole jock. Also the type that the average girl flung herself onto. But I wasn't exactly going to just fall for him right then.

"Not at all. I don't even know your name. Can you move? You're in my sunlight."

He didn't appear fazed. He leaned in really close to me… way too close, actually.

"C'mon baby, give some to your old boy John." So this was the John that Alexandra had warned me about yesterday…

"Thanks, but no thanks." I pushed him away and walked a few feet from him. That didn't stop him though. He came up next to me… and slapped me on my ass.

"Your loss, girl. You'll be coming back to me soon enough." That… that… I wanted no more than to rip his throat out right then. I mean, he smacked my ass! I don't even let _Fang_ do that!

"Max, what the hell just happened? I'm blind, remember?"

"Some… asshole smacked me on the ass!" Iggy let out nothing but a chuckle. "It's not funny!" All he did was keep on laughing. He was going to hear it later…

**Iggy POV**

"Some… asshole smacked me on the ass!" As soon as Max said this, I chuckled lightly. I wanted to burst out laughing and start rolling on the floor, but that wouldn't have been right. Besides, Max would have chewed me out later.

During the break between classes, I told Fang about what happened.

"So, are we talking a bomb in his locker, or just a booby trap?" Please say bomb, please say bomb…

"Don't just put a bomb in his locker, Iggy. Put one in his backpack too." I broke into a huge grin at that. Max was going to kill me, but I didn't care. This revenge wasn't for me, it was for Max and Fang. "Plus, I've got my own choice words for him."

Whoa… did Fang want to fight this John guy? Was smacking Max on the ass really that big of a deal?

"Don't mind my asking Fang, but… is there something going on between you and Max?"

If he was blushing, I couldn't see it. I did, however, hear a sharp intake of breath. I hit the nail on the head.

"So… when do you plan on fighting this guy?"

"After the bombs. Get the locker one set today, and blow them up tomorrow. Nobody does anything to Max and gets away with it."

**Jackson POV**

During break, I checked out Fang's blog in the library. I went to a computer, pulled up the blog… and very nearly spit out the water I was drinking because of what I read:

_**Welcome to Fang's Blog!**_

_**You are viewer number: 52709**_

_**Wow, over 50k hits already? Only a week or so ago I had barely twenty. Guess word of this site is picking up fast.**_

_**Anyways, now the Flock is in LA because Max's Voice sent us here. You know, that little Voice that Max hears in her head? Anyways, we're supposed to search out these 'evolved humans' whose DNA mutated on its own, affording superhuman abilities. Apparently, the School is trying to get a hold of them so that they can figure out how they got the powers and use it in their new recombinant DNA experiments. **_

_**For those who can't put two and two together, that means Erasers throwing fireballs and punching through six inches of steel.**_

_**Anyways, the Voice, or whoever's behind it, also enrolled us in this posh private school. It turns out the first person we meet, a guy named Jackson, is one of these evolved humans we were looking for.**_

_**How did we find out? He toasted three Erasers with a lightning bolt. Question answered.**_

_**Things only went downhill from there. We tell Jackson about us, then suddenly some weird guy in horn-rimmed glasses and a Haitian come and abduct us. Jackson is placed in a cell, and the Flock minus Max is placed in another. We break out, and find that Max was being questioned by an elderly woman with a hidden agenda.**_

_**That was just day one. Who knows what else is waiting for us?**_

_**Fang out.**_

I was stunned after reading the whole thing. Fang was revealing himself and the Flock over the internet? I didn't think he was that stupid!

I reviewed every single post on that damn blog. Thankfully, I saw absolutely no photographs, whatsoever. Thank god. Technically, there were hundreds of Jacksons in Los Angeles, so hopefully nobody would find out about me. Besides, what were the chances they would read his blog?

During the next class, I found out that John had tried to come on to Max. That bastard just couldn't keep it in his pants, could he? If I had to take a guess, he's already impregnated three girls from multiple schools, and stolen over twenty girls' virginities. I talked with Fang and Iggy while Max was in the bathroom, and they were plotting a complex revenge against him: bomb his locker, destroy his backpack, and beat him up via a fight with Fang. I told Iggy to count me in, so he gave me a small metal orb that he had made the night before with instructions to compress as much electricity as possible into it. I liked where this was heading…

Later, during lunch, Max, Fang and Iggy were all eating with different groups of people and getting to know them, so I let them be. Nothing wrong with them making friends.

I was wandering around the campus, when I saw a couple of senior guys harassing a girl. Hey, isn't she in my grade? If she is, I don't know her name. That's strange though… This is my fourth year going to this school, you'd think I would know everybody in the grade.

"Hey!" I called, and the seniors turned their attention to me. "Stop harassing her! If you want to mess with somebody, come mess with me." Sure enough, all three of them turned towards me. Oh great, what had I gotten myself into? I couldn't use my lightning in any flashy way… luckily I could use it covertly.

First, I concentrated good amounts of electricity into both fists, so that whenever I punched a small amount was released; not enough to be seen but large enough to cause some pain. Next, I electrified my skin so that by hurting me, they also hurt themselves.

I launched the first punch: an uppercut straight to the leader of the group. I landed a clean hit, and he was sent a few feet backwards from the resultant shockwave. I was attacked from the left and right at the same time from the other two; I ducked down just in time so that their punches only grazed my arms. Of course, by just grazing my arms, they got a nice electric shock.

I got up, and all three of them were staring at me funny.

"Well? You guys want any more? Or will you just leave the girl alone?" I took a step forward, and the lead senior tried his best not be phased.

"Yeah, whatever kid. You win for today. But don't think for a second that this is over, you little shit!"

They turned tail and ran away defeated to lick their wounds. I heard a small clapping to my left; it was Fang. Whatever, buddy. I'm more worried about the girl than anything.

I went over to the girl, and picked her up off the ground.

"You okay? I hate to sound callous by saying this but… what's your name?"

She looked at me as if I were her knight in shining armor. For all I knew, maybe I was. She let out a small giggle before speaking.

"Jackson, how do you not know my name, you're in my grade! It's Chloe Volatica, remember? I'm in your English class!

I snapped my fingers. "Wow, now I feel like an idiot. You alright?"

She nodded. "Thanks to you." Whoa… what was that in her voice? "Listen… umm…" I could tell she wanted to ask me something. I jumped the gun first.

"Umm, Chloe, would you happen to be free tonight? We can go see a movie at 3rd Street…" Oh man… I've killed people, escaped from a maximum-security prison cell, and stared down the barrel of a gun before. Then how come my legs were shaking, and my stomach was doing backflips?

Chloe's eyes lit up real bright, as if those were the exact words she'd wanted to hear for a really long time. "Oh my god really? I'd love to!"

Phew! I wanted to let out a sigh of relief, but that could wait for a second.

"Well then… umm, I'll pick you up at your house? Six o'clock?"

"Sure! See you then!" She gave me a big hug, and walked off.

Fang, Max, and Iggy came up behind me. Fang and Iggy each gave me pats on the back, while Max gave me a nice, long lecture on how the female body was sacred, and to treat Chloe with the utmost respect.

I tuned them out; I didn't care. I think I just got myself a girlfriend!


	4. Chapter 4: Plotting

**Damn, I am cranking these things out ridiculously fast… somebody smack me. *****Receives a smack to the top of the head***** What the hell was that for, jackass?! Just kidding.**

**Anyways, here's chapter 4. Includes Jackson's date, which quickly turns into a double date (Faxness), and Iggy's ****POV as he builds a bomb… woohoo. Next chapter will include the actual bomb, and the Fang v. John fight. w00t**

**Disclaimer: You know what, screw it, you already know I ain't James Patterson or Tim Kring.**

**Claimer: I do own Jackson Davis and Chloe Volatica.**

**Oh yeah: Major props and a cookie to whoever can guess where I got Chloe's last name from (everybody except Alienated2, I already told you)**

**Fang POV**

Instead of flying home, Iggy and I went with Jackson back over to his house so we could plot the bombing of John's locker and backpack, as well as plan how to anger the bull so that he'd fight me.

"You know," Jackson said, "you could always just come out and tell him you're the one who bombed his locker. That'd get him to fight you real quick. Or…"

"Spill it," I barked.

"You could mention the collection of porno mags that he keeps in his locker. Or how he's… you know… in the guys' bathroom. Or bring up the time he got a hard-on in the guys' locker room because he was looking at porno, but couldn't tell anybody he was because the coach was in there."

"And how do you know all this?" Iggy asked Jackson. I don't usually use that many words.

"I have my sources," Jackson stated blankly. He let out a mischievous cackle after that. Yep, he and Iggy certainly got along perfectly; they both loved pranks and loved blowing crap up. I kept thinking about the metal orb that Iggy gave Jackson. What's it supposed to do?...

When we arrived at Jackson's house, he put his stuff down and immediately vanished into the kitchen. A minute or so later, he came out with four bags of potato chips and another four bags of beef jerky.

"In case we get a little hungry," he said.

"What's going on?" Iggy asked. "I'm blind, remember?"

"I have four bags of potato chips and four bags of beef jerky in my hands. Okay, Iggy?" Iggy's jaw dropped.

"What flavor?"

"I've got at least four bags of every single flavor imaginable… well, mostly. Whatever flavor you want, I'll go grab it."

"I'll just take original," Iggy answered.

"Fang, what about you?"

I didn't care to reply. I just mumbled something along the lines of "whatever" and grabbed a bag. I ripped it open, and tore in.

"C'mon," Jackson said. "As much as I hate to say it, we've got to do homework while plotting. Well, except for Iggy. He's pretty much excused from homework, because he's blind." I shot both Jackson and Iggy a death glare. Jackson was unfazed and Iggy couldn't see it. Damn.

"So," Jackson continued once we'd settled in around a table. "I've got an idea how we can make this work. It will require flawless execution though, so listen tight."

Jackson explained everything. During our free class period, I am to open up John's locker (Jackson found out this his was rigged up same as Iggy's) and steal the porno mags from them, hiding them away until it was time for the fight. He gave me a book of matches with which to burn the magazines in front of John.

Iggy is in charge of planting the bomb in John's locker. The timer would be set for the very end of break, right as the bell rang. Therefore, the timer needed to be set for an hour twenty. Jackson wasn't worried about John finding it; apparently, John's locker was a pigsty.

Jackson's own role in our little escapade is to plant the bomb in John's backpack. Jackson knew everybody's haunts, including where they dropped their backpacks during their free time. To try and maintain a good reputation with the teachers, John left his backpack outside of the classrooms, only picking it up to go to another class, which gave us our golden opportunity.

After the planning was finished, Jackson laid a big question on me.

"Fang, what would you say to you and Max doing a double date with Chloe and me?" Whoa. Didn't see that one coming.

"But I don't… like Max that way." Jackson's eyes flickered strangely for a second, and then snapped back into focus.

"You're lying. You _do_ like her, don't you? In fact, you _love_ her."

Oh man… how did he figure that out so fast?

"So, what do you say? You and Max meet Chloe and me at 3rd Street Promenade." He gave me directions on how to get there, including how to recognize it from an aerial view.

I accepted, saying I'd ask Max about it. After that, with the plan for tomorrow set and stupid homework finished, Iggy and I went out into his backyard and took off. I had to talk to Max about this. I was just asking for her to kill me…

**Jackson POV**

After Fang and Iggy left, I stopped for a second to consider what I'd just asked. I had actually asked Fang if he and Max wanted to go on a _double date_. What the hell was I thinking? I only met these guys yesterday!

I banished the thought. Instead, I brandished the two metal spheres that Iggy gave me.

_Compress as much electricity as you possibly can into the sphere. The first one is for testing it out; the second one is the actual bomb we're going to be using._

I didn't exactly know what they were supposed to do, but I had about half an hour before I had to go pick up Chloe. I held the sphere in my hands, and poured huge amounts of electricity into it until it started glowing blue. Next, I adjusted the timer on it to one minute, put it outside and waited.

The short wait was worth it. When the bomb went off, there was a huge flash of electricity not unlike a lightning bolt. Actually, it was more like ball lightning to be precise; there was even a black spot on the ground where it had exploded. I looked down at the remaining metal sphere in my hand. Tomorrow was going to be a great day…

I went up to my room and took a shower. I actually combed my hair for once, and I put on some cologne that I stole from my dad. I went into my closet, and picked out all blue clothes: jeans, blue T-shirt, and a blue button-down with white stripes on it. When I was done, I checked my phone; there was a text message from Max.

_Thanks for inviting us. See you there._

So they'd taken me up on my offer… I wondered if they would tell Chloe that they weren't really siblings. That'd be an interesting conversation… Would they also tell her about their being mutant bird-kids?

I went downstairs, grabbed the keys to my dad's convertible, and went outside. I don't have my driver's license, but 1. I'm good enough of a driver that I won't be pulled over and 2. If they even tried to pull me over, I'd send a targeted EMP to knock out their sirens and lights, so I could fly with the excuse that I didn't see or hear them.

I pulled out of the driveway, closing the gate behind me, and headed the mile or two to Chloe's house. When I pulled up, I called her cell phone, and told her to come outside. I was leaning up against the car with a slightly smug look on my face. She was pretty awe-struck that I would be driving this car.

"Do your parents know you're driving their sports car?" She asked this while getting into the passenger seat with a smirk on her face. Damn, she looked really good: white jeans and a slightly form-fitting top.

"Wow… you look really good Chloe! And my parents are out of town for the week, so noone's the wiser, eh?"

"What are you, a Canadian? You ended your sentence with 'eh'!"

"Born and bred in the US of A, baby." I pulled into drive, and started heading down to 3rd Street.

"Oh yeah, I very nearly forgot to mention. I asked Max and Nick if they wanted to come with us, sort of on a double date."

"Umm," Chloe said, obviously confused. "Aren't Max and Nick brother and sister? Adoptive, I mean?"

Oh man, I was probably going to hear this later.

"Actually, out of the six of them, the two youngest, Ariel and Zephyr, are the only two who are related, those two are brother and sister. Crystal, Jeff, Max, and Nick aren't related in the slightest, so there's nothing wrong with it."

Chloe laughed a little at that. "I would never have guessed it! Oh yeah, I heard John smacked Max's ass today."

"Nick, Jeff and I are plotting to a three-fold revenge on John for that, but I can't tell you how, it's a secret. How did you hear it anyways?"

"John swaggered around campus all break talking about how the new girl wanted him in her pants really badly. I'm, like, so glad Max wasn't there; I think she would have popped a blood vessel at that."

"Actually," I said, "I'm much more relieved that Nick wasn't there; he probably would have broken every single bone in John's body if he had heard that."

"Wow," was all that Chloe could say in response. We rode the rest of the way in silence.

**Fang POV**

"I can't believe you talked me into this," Max said for maybe the twentieth time today.

We were waiting at the food court for Jackson and Chloe to show up, and it was probably going to take a while; I saw plenty of traffic down below while we flew.

"Whose idea was this again? Please tell me it wasn't yours, Fang."

"Jackson's." We then proceeded to chow down. I saw Max stifle a chuckle in front of me, and was failing hard at keeping her composure.

"What?"

My question was answered when I felt a shock going through my metal chair. I jumped up really quickly, preparing to punch somebody as hard as I could.

"Oh my god Jackson that was so funny! How did you do that? Hey Max, sorry about that Nick! How's it going?" I guessed that the brunette standing next to Jackson was Chloe. She was definitely pretty; just not as pretty as Max. Jackson still scored big though.

"So, did you all decide which movie we're seeing? Oh my god I'm so excited this is my first date! Jackson came and picked me up in a sports car even!" I shot a death glare at Jackson. He proceeded to send another small jolt into the chair, which my arm was still resting on. Jackass.

"Well, we can either see the chick flick or the action movie. I say we vote. All for action movie raise your hand." All four of us raised our hands. Jackson chuckled. "It's settle then. I'll go buy the tickets…"

**Jackson POV**

After the movie, I was driving back to Chloe's place, and she had a number of questions for me. I conveniently skirted around certain ones, because those weren't for me to answer.

"So, how are Max and Nick getting home? Do they have a car?"

"I actually don't know how they're getting home, Chloe. I'm not even sure how they beat us there; they left after I picked you up."

"Strange," she said. "How did you get Nick to stand up so fast?"

"You really wanna know?" She nodded. "Too bad! That's a story for another day."

"Oh come on! Tell me please Jackson?" She gave me Bambi eyes. Max may be a sucker for those, but I knew better.

"I'll tell you if and when I decide to, okay? Besides, it's not exactly a fun story to tell." I tried to keep my mind off of the various times I'd been abducted by the Company: the first time after I'd lost control in France, and the second time only yesterday. Neither of those were pleasant experiences. Especially talking to Angela Petrelli; she was a creepy woman who always seemed to know everything about everyone.

"Alright, but you have to promise to tell me eventually!"

"I promise I'll tell you when the time is right. Just don't go pestering Max and Nick about their secrets, alright? And above all things, _don't_ talk about their childhoods. That's a sore spot. Too many bad memories to count."

"I'm not sure what that's supposed to mean, but okay."

A minute later, we were at Chloe's house. I parked the car, got out, and walked her to the door.

"Thanks for asking me out Jackson. Nobody's ever asked me out before…" She was twiddling with her keys nervously. I took the cue.

I took her in my arms, and pressed my lips against hers. She was surprised for a moment, and then wrapped her arms around my shoulders and pressed tighter. We stayed like that for about a minute before breaking apart.

"Umm," I stuttered. "So… I guess it's official?"

"Yeah," Chloe said shyly. She gave me one final peck on the lips before opening the door. "Good night Jackson! Drive safe!" She closed the door behind her after waving goodbye. Wow…

I practically staggered back to my car. The whole drive home, I was thinking about what had happened tonight. Chloe is freaking beautiful, with a great personality and a smile that can light up the gloomiest of days. And then it hit me.

I think I'm in love.

**And there's chapter 4 folks. Sorry for those who wanted some Max POV, that's next chapter. Stay tuned, though: next chapter will be the revenge scheme against John, and the next few chapters after that… well, that's a secret. Anyways, read and review; don't worry, the review button isn't going to bite.**

**By the way: Sorry for those who think my chapters are a bit long. This story has three main characters, and writing what goes on between all of them is major. I'm fleshing out Jackson's character because of what's going to happen during chapter's 6-(8? 9?)… Can't tell you much, but major plot twist.**


	5. Chapter 5: Madness and Mayhem

**Chapter 5! This chapter: Blowing up John's locker, incinerating his backpack with ball lightning, and Fang beats the living crap out of John, followed by Max chewing everybody out, and another visit from the Company, this time with Chloe present! But she doesn't figure out about Jackson's powers, or the Flock's wings. Enjoy!**

**Fang POV**

The next day, at school. Free class period is happening right now. Time to put the plan into effect.

I moved quickly and quietly. Nobody was anywhere near John's locker, thank god. I opened up his locker, grabbed the porno magazines, shoved them deep into my backpack, and closed his locker.

"Iggy," I muttered so quietly that only a mutant bird-kid could hear, "Your turn in two minutes." I saw him nod. I dashed away from John's locker, and went over to where Max and Chloe were talking. Jackson was getting his bomb ready, and Iggy was about to plant the locker one. Now, all I had to do was wait for the right time…

**Iggy POV**

"Iggy, your turn in two minutes." I nodded in Fang's direction, and sat back in the shadows. I may not be able to see, but I can still tell where Fang's voice was coming from. Plus, being blind, I can use the "oops, thought it was my locker for a second" excuse. Being blind isn't all liability, you know!

I already had the timer on the bomb set. It was smaller than the ones I normally used; I needed to keep this explosion small enough that it would only hit John's locker, but large enough that it would destroy everything inside. Gazzy also insisted I put a small stink bomb in there of his own making for good measure. What was in the stink bomb? Probably eau de Gasman's fart…

After two minutes had passed, I started stumbling towards the locker. If anybody saw me, they'd think that somebody had pulled a mean prank on me and left the blind guy alone. I went over to John's locker, pulled it open, started the timer on the bomb, put it deep inside, closed the locker, and went in the direction that Fang's footsteps had been. He tapped me on the shoulder.

"Is it planted?"

"Yeah. Now we wait. Let's hope Jackson doesn't chicken out."

"He won't."

**Jackson POV**

I was in the bathroom; supercharging the lightning bomb that Iggy had given me. It got to such a point that just touching it to metal would send huge amounts of sparks flying into it. I don't think that anybody other than me could handle the orb at this point.

I moved quickly but casually; calm enough that nobody would question me, but fast enough that I wasn't lingering in any one place.

I found John's backpack exactly where I thought it would be: outside of the class I have English in. The great thing about this classroom? No window on the door's side, so nobody in the class could tell what I was doing. I slipped the bomb into one of the front pockets of John's backpack because none of those had metal in them. I set the timer on the bomb for the predetermined hour, zipped it up, and got away quickly. I met up with Fang and Iggy, and we went to go meet up with Max and Chloe.

**Max POV**

I was talking with Chloe quite a bit, since Iggy, Fang, and Jackson were all nowhere to be found. What were those three up to? I had a sinking feeling about this…

"So Max, where did you and your family all go to school before coming here?"

"We went to some preppy school in Virginia," I said. I left out the part that the teachers were all working for the whitecoats. She didn't need to know about that kind of stuff.

"Wow, Virginia? That's a long ways from LA. Were you only going to that school, or another one?"

"Actually," I said, "my family and I have been pretty nomadic all our lives because we've all been searching for our birth parents. Jeff found his, but they were fame-seeking bastards who would do anything for a quick buck. So Jeff left them and came with us."

"Wow," Chloe said, "that's horrible! I mean, there are, like, tons of greedy people in LA, but even we Los Angelinos draw the line somewhere as to how we get our money!"

"What," I said, "like being a paparazzi?" We shared a laugh at that. While we were still laughing, I felt a shock run up my leg. Chloe must have felt it too, because we both jumped in the air, but she let out a little yelp to go along with hit. I turned around and saw Fang, Iggy, and Jackson, all grinning like a couple of idiots.

"Okay, spill it. What are you three up to?"

"Did you know that John keeps porno in his locker?" Fang said first. My jaw dropped. Chloe's dropped further. That sexist pig!

"Did you also know he got a hard-on in the guys' locker room because he was watching porn on his Ipod?" Iggy said it this time. My jaw dropped further. Chloe's hit the ground.

"Did you also know that Fang is going to beat John up today in a fight?" Jackson said that last bit. I snapped.

"You WHAT?! I thought I told you guys not to get yourselves in any trouble!"

"Relax, Max," Jackson said. "I'm on the good side of all the administrators; besides, John isn't exactly a model student. He'll wind up taking the whole blame for all of this."

"All of this?" I was getting more and more suspicious by the second.

"Yeah," Chloe added. "Just where were you three this morning?"

"Preparing," all three of them said at once. I didn't like the sound of this…

**Jackson POV**

Five minutes left until the bombs went off. Three minutes until the end of class. John would get his backpack to his locker by the time there was one minute left, and he'd chat up a girl for the last minute, knowing him.

Three minutes pass. The bell rings. I get up as fast as I can, grab Fang, Iggy, and Max, say goodbye to the chemistry teacher, and start heading to Chloe's classroom.

"Jackson, where are you going so fast?" Chloe asked the question with a hint of confusion.

"C'mon Chloe. You don't want to miss the show, do you?" She had no idea what I was talking about, but she just nodded.

The five of us camped out near John's locker. I checked my phone; one minute left on the timer. John was there all right, chatting up Mallory. Just as predicted.

Thirty seconds left. John hugs Mallory for a good twenty seconds.

Ten seconds left. Mallory waves goodbye to John for now, and heads off towards the cafeteria.

Three seconds left. John pumps his arm, as if to say "score".

Time's up! First, there's a slightly muffled ***boom*** as John's locker explodes, and the door bursts out. Everything that was in there was a small pile of burnt rubble now. John yelled out something that sounded like "holy shit!" and started running over to his locker, when my bomb went off.

John's backpack was in the middle of a large, three-foot sphere of ball lightning. The ball stayed there for about fifteen seconds while John was just staring, mouth agape. All the guys in the area were making "Oooooooh" noises like they do whenever a diss is said, and all the girls were clapping because somebody finally had the gall to prank the sophomore's star football player. When the sphere vanished, all that remained of John's backpack was a small pile of ashes and zippers.

Iggy and I were exchanging high fives before we went over to Fang, and patted him on the back.

"You're up," I said.

"Give him hell," Iggy added. Fang just nodded. He pulled a paper bag out of his backpack, and held a lighter in the other hand. I thought I'd given him a box of matches, but whatever…

The explosions were just the beginning. Now the real show could begin.

**Fang POV**

"Yo, John." I walked up to him as casually as I could, even though the anger I felt after hearing about what he did to Max yesterday was still ringing in my ears.

"What the hell just happened? Was that you?! Are you the one who made my backpack disappear and who blew up my locker?!"

"Well, I'm not the one who blew up your locker, but I did happen to find a certain something in there." I reached into the bag, and pulled out his porn magazines. "I think these are yours?"

"Hey! Give those back to me! They're mine I say!" All the girls in the area gave John a death glare as strong as Max's. "Uhh… I mean, uh, they're, um, my dad's really… I just… umm… borrowed… them… I…"

"You," I started, "are going to pay." I pulled out the lighter and lit the magazines on fire. I let them burn for ten seconds before dropping them to the ground. "How do you like that?"

John looked like the veins in his neck were going to pop out. "You little bastard! You come to this school yesterday, and now you think you own the place?! I'm gonna teach you a lesson, you emo pussy!"

John rushed for me, fist raised. By the time he swung his punch, I was already out of the way. I didn't bother returning the blow. Instead, I taunted him.

"You seem pretty weak, so here's the deal. I'll stand here, and you hit me as hard as you can. If you can knock me out, you win. If not, then you're dead." I knew he wouldn't be able to hurt me that bad. This little skirmish would be nothing compared to all the times I'd fought with Ari. I could take anything he gave me.

"How dare you insult me, you little shit!" He came straight for me, and got me in the stomach with his right fist. What would normally have knocked the wind out of a normal human barely made me stagger backwards.

"What was that, John? Little girls could hit harder than you." I grabbed him by the arm, flipped him over my back, and threw him eight feet into the lockers. He impacted the lockers with a resounding *thud* and took his sweet time getting back up.

"What… are you…" he stammered out before I rushed in fast and hit him in the stomach, making him double over.

"Your worst nightmare." He got me with a right hook to the head, and I took a step back. He came at me with a flurry of punches, most of which I was able to dodge. When it became apparent he wasn't going to stop, I grabbed his fists in my hands, and squeezed. I felt something that sounded like a crack, and John cried out in pain.

"Take this as a lesson. Don't you _ever_ touch Max again. Understand?" He nodded weakly while whimpering in pain. I let go of his hands, then kicked him hard, sending the wimp flying backwards another five feet. He landed on his back, and five of his buddies went to go pick him up.

When I got back to Max, she looked like she was about to explode. I was so going to hear this later…

"Jackson, you're coming home with us," Max said.

"Jackson," Chloe whispered into his ear, "are you free tonight?"

"Considering I'm going to get a stern talking-to from Max tonight," Jackson whispered back, "probably not." Chloe looked downcast.

Great…


	6. Chapter 6: Secrets

**I know what you're thinking. "Next chapter already? Does he have anything to do other than type up fanfiction?" At the moment, no. But don't complain: things are just starting to get **_**really**_** good! *****rubs his hands together and lets out a maniacal cackle***

**Disclaimer: I may be a guy, but I'm not James Patterson or Tim Kring.**

**Claimer: Jackson and Chloe are my characters. You lay a finger on them, and you're gonna have one hell of a rude awakening. *death glare***

**Max POV**

Idiots! Stupid stupid idiot boys! What the hell were they thinking! Second day at school, and they _already_ set off a bomb! And it doesn't help that Jackson decided to go along with it!

_Max,_ the Voice chimed in.

_WHAT?!_ I was in no mood for talking to this stupid thing…

_Max, you need to clear your mind. Lecturing your Flock and an evolved human for blowing up a couple of bombs isn't what should be at the top of your priority list right now._

_Oh?!_ I shot back. _Then what should be, oh omniscient one?!_

_The School is on the move again. They're likely to go after Jackson and Chloe so that they can get to you and your Flock. Remember, don't let anything happen to them. Even if they think Jackson is just a normal human, they'll still experiment on him and Chloe. That should probably be in the front of your mind._

_And what do you expect _me _to do about it? _I shot back.

_Actually, Max, there's not much you can do at this point. It's a waiting game now. I sent a message to Jackson that if the School abducts him he is not to use his powers until the absolute last second._

_Like he'll listen to you if his girlfriend is in danger… You know what, I'm through talking to you, Voice. Why don't you go bug somebody else for now?_

I didn't get a response from the Voice. Good. I needed to give these idiot boys a lecture.

Jackson just _had_ to bring Chloe along with him. Because of that, we all had to walk home from school that day. I told Nudge to go pick up Angel, because I wasn't letting Fang out of my sight for another second of this day. I was still debating whether or not to tell Chloe about the whole wings thing; probably not, unless absolutely necessary. If Jackson hadn't told her about his powers, then I didn't need to tell her about the wings. When I asked him, he responded that Chloe was still in the dark about that.

When we got back to the house the Flock was staying at, Nudge and Angel were already inside and chatting it up.

"Uh, I hate to be a bother," Chloe started, "but how did they get back so fast? The lower school is that way." Chloe pointed the complete opposite direction we had come from.

"That's a secret Chloe," I said.

"Oh, okay. Jackson already told me not to pry too much around all of you. I don't know why, but I'll trust you." Finally, a sensible person! Leave it to the girls to be like that.

_Hey Max?_ Angel was talking to me with her thoughts. Oh yeah, in case I haven't said it yet, Angel can read minds.

_Yeah sweetie?_

_I read Chloe's mind, and she doesn't know about the wings. Do we tell her?_

_No Angel, we're not going to tell her until Jackson spills his guts to her._

_Oh, okay._ With that Angel went back to chatting with Nudge about her day. I just hoped she wasn't using her mind control on the teachers…

Back to the matter at hand though: lecturing Iggy, Fang, and Jackson. I enlisted Chloe to help with the lecturing; she had told me about how her cousin had been expelled for making even a _threat_ to bring a bomb to school, much less go through with the explosion.

I turned to face the three boys. Fang was leaned up against the wall, Jackson was playing with his cell-phone, and Iggy was talking to the Gasman from across the room.

"Zephyr, Ariel, Crystal, can you three leave please?" They didn't bother to question. The three of them went upstairs to their rooms. At least whoever was behind the Voice gave us a nice house. Once the three of them were safely upstairs and I heard doors close, I put my hands on my hips, and started lecturing the three of them.

"What the hell were you three thinking?! First, you blow up his locker, next you incinerate his backpack, and then you beat him up! I didn't think all of you were such idiots! I don't care what it was for, you can't go blowing stuff up! Don't you remember what happened last time you blew something up at a school? We were very nearly expelled!"

"It's not like we care about that anyway, Max," Iggy said.

"Yes we do! I can't believe you all are such idiots!"

"Yeah!" Chloe butted in. "My cousin was expelled for even _threatening_ to blow up a bomb on campus, and you three are crazy enough to actually _do it_, and then beat John up afterwards? Although I must admit it was quite a show…"

"Chloe!" I was appalled.

"I'm sorry Max!" She was really apologetic all of a sudden. "It wasn't exactly the right thing to do, but I guess that if it was anybody who got it, John deserved it, especially considering the fact that he was strutting around campus all day yesterday saying how much you wanted him in your pants…"

"WHAT?!" He… he… he said _what?!_

"Max," Fang said. "We did that so that we could get you revenge."

"Also," Jackson added, "I wanted a piece of him too. That guy's been the bane of me ever since elementary school; we've gone to the same school ever since fourth grade, and I only started standing up to him in the middle of seventh, so he still thinks he can boss me around. I just wanted to show him that he's not God's gift to the world, that's all."

"I may think he's a sexist pig for saying that, but that _still_ doesn't mean you should have used explosives! I mean, you should have just let _me_ beat him up!" I turned to Jackson. "And what, may I ask, was that little ball of lightning that incinerated John's backpack?"

"Just a little something Jackson and I cooked up," Iggy said innocently.

"Well whatever it was, I don't want to see any more of those, okay?"

"Too late!" Jackson butted in again. "I already have, like, five of them all set for next time we prank John." Next time? He was so going to get it later…

"Oops, look at the time," Jackson said. "Chloe, weren't we supposed to go to the mall around this time?"

"Umm…" Chloe looked a little confused, but Jackson winked at her with the eye that Fang couldn't see from his perspective. Bastard…

"Oh yeah!" Chloe snapped her fingers for effect. "Right, I need to go and get you a whole new wardrobe cause you always wear the same thing to school every day. Bye Max! Bye Nick! Bye Jeff! Thanks for letting us come over!" With that, Jackson and Chloe disappeared out the door, leaving Fang and Iggy to my mercy.

This was going to be fun…

**Jackson POV**

"Uh, Chloe?" We were in my dad's sports car again, on our way to Century City.

"Yeah?"

"Were you being serious about getting me a whole new wardrobe at the mall?" I started to shudder at the thought.

"Uh, yeah! You always wear the same thing to school everyday, you really need to change it up!"

"Well I'm sorry that I'm a guy Chloe, and that guys only get so many choices of clothes to wear while girls get hundreds of combinations!"

Chloe just laughed at this. "Don't worry, it won't cost _too_ much."

"Um, what stores are we going to exactly?" She ran off a list of ten stores, all at Century City. Great…

I pulled into a spot, and after we got out I locked the car. In the first store we went into, Chloe picked out a dark blue polo shirt for me. I grudgingly obliged, but I bought myself a blue bandana to wear on my wrist also. I rolled up the sleeves of my button-down and tied the bandana around my left wrist.

"What are you trying to look like Jackson, a skater?"

"No, I just think it looks good… does it?" She gave a nod, and then grabbed my arm and started leading me to the next store.

We were about to walk into Hollister when I heard a familiar voice call my name.

"Jackson Davis." Oh crap… Please god, not here, not now, and not with Chloe present.

I turned around… and was staring straight at HRG. Next to him, there was a blond teenager… I could only guess that this was his daughter Claire that I'd overheard him talking about.

"What the hell do you want, Bennet. I don't have time for this."

"Relax, Jackson. I'm not here to take you in; in fact, I was told that if I ever saw you again that I was to present you with a job offer."

"Work for the Company? Thanks, but I'd rather die."

"No you wouldn't," Claire spoke up. "Dying is not fun, I should know."

Wasn't expecting that. I knew that Claire's power was spontaneous regeneration; that is, self-healing, but I didn't think that she'd be able to come back from death…

I didn't like where this conversation was going. I pushed Chloe behind me so that I could keep her safe.

"Whatever, Claire. I don't really care about whatever crazy shit has happened to you because of Daddy's job. I don't want anything to do with your stupid Company, but because I feel bad for all the shit you've gone through because of Bennet over there, I'll give him a lucky break. Go onto the web and search for "Fang's Blog." That's where you'll find your next assignment. Now go, and leave me alone."

"Wait a moment Jackson." HRG came up to me, pulled a card out of his pocket, and handed it to me. "In case you change your mind. And if Pinehearst comes to you with an offer, decline it immediately." I took the card and shoved it in my back pocket. Hopefully I'd forget to take it out and it would just be ripped to shreds in the wash.

"I don't think you'll be hearing from me again. Goodbye Bennet. And Claire… make sure that your dad here knows what he's getting himself into after he reads that blog. I don't want him rushing head-long into something he knows nothing about, because that would make him worthy of a Darwin award."

"Why, you…" Claire started, but I interrupted her.

"Well, been nice talking to you all, but I've still got, oh, nine stores to go to today. Goodbye Bennet, I hope I never have to see you again!" With that, I turned around, and with Chloe next to me, I walked away.

"What was that all about?" Chloe asked me after we were a safe distance away.

"You don't want to know Chloe. Trust me on this, but knowing about it gets people killed." She dropped the subject pretty quickly. I could tell she was troubled. I pulled her in tighter. "Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you."

Little did I know at the time just how horribly wrong I was.


	7. Chapter 7: Abduction

**And now it begins… my "The School" story arc has officially commenced! Things get incredibly interesting here… What am I talking about? Read on and see…**

**Disclaimer: Yes, I'm male, but no, I'm not James Patterson, and I'm certainly not Tim Kring or I would be writing a script instead of fanfics. **

**Claimer: Jackson and Chloe are mine. Try to copy them, and I rip your face off.**

**Jackson POV**

After our escapades on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, the rest of the school days passed really fast. Now, it was Friday afternoon, and Chloe and I had decided to go to the mall… again. I mean, what'sweird is that I hate shopping more than Max does, and after getting to know the Flock a little better over the week, I found out that Max can't stand shopping, but begrudgingly does it when she absolutely needs new clothing. Me? I go shopping once my clothes start falling apart and ripping at the seams. So there.

But somehow, being with Chloe actually made shopping interesting. I don't know what it is about her, but she just makes everything more interesting. I've never felt this way about anybody else before… what does it mean? Am I really in love with her?

We had finished making our purchases for the day (or actually, more like Chloe's purchases) when we decided to go hang out at 3rd Street since we had nothing better to do. Chloe asked me if I wanted to invite Max and Fang (Nick to her, she didn't know his real name) but I said that they were busy with something else. What it would be, I don't know, probably flying around and trying to find more evolved humans like me.

When we got to 3rd Street, I had to park about a quarter mile away because it was so packed. Guess a Friday afternoon wasn't the best time to try and get a parking spot. Anyways, we finally found a spot and were about a football field's distance away from the car when trouble found us.

We were walking down an alley because it was faster than going all the way around the block, when suddenly a black van pulled up to the other end of the alley, blocking the exit. Men started to pour out of the van, and I recognized what these were with a horrid sinking feeling in my stomach: Erasers. But why? Why were the Erasers after Chloe and me?

"What do you want from me?"

"C'mere little boy, we're not going to hurt you…"

"Jackson, who are these people?!" Chloe was scared out of her mind right now. I pushed her behind me when I heard her shriek. I turned around; there were Erasers covering the entire other side of the alley!

"Chloe, when I say go, we start running towards the end of the alley I'm closer to. Do you understand me?" She nodded grimly. I would have to use my powers to get out of this one… Damn it!

"Oh look, the boy's got a girlfriend! I wonder what you'll do if we take her from you?" Anger was flowing through my veins. I had already intended to hurt them, but now they were going to die.

"Don't you dare lay a _finger_ on my girlfriend, you filthy Erasers! C'mon Chloe, go!" We started running towards the Erasers. I stretched out my hand, and let fly a blast of lightning striking the lead Eraser in the face.

"Jackson, what did you just—"

"Not now, Chloe! Just go! I'll hold them off!"

Chloe took off and ran. I was right behind her, firing immense arcs of electricity at the Erasers. They were dropping really fast, but I didn't think they would stay down for long.

While I was looking behind me, I heard Chloe scream out in terror. When I turned around to look, one of the Erasers had gotten hold of her!

"You let go of her this instant!" I held up an orb of lightning in my hand.

"Oh, but you don't want to _hurt_ her, do you Sparky?"

I lowered my hand, and let the orb dissipate. He was right about one thing: I didn't want to hurt Chloe. Not now, not ever.

"I don't care what you do with me, you can take me, but just leave her alone!" I heard the Erasers coming up behind me. I turned sideways, and let a beam of pure electricity out of my right hand. I was desperately trying to stay in control; if I exploded, I would probably kill Chloe in the process. "If I agree to go with you," I said, "will you let her go?"

Just then, I felt a sharp prick in my neck. I turned my head, and saw a syringe in the back of my neck. I felt my legs go weak, and the world around me got darker and darker. The last thing I remember was being shoved into a van with Chloe before I blacked out.

**Max POV**

The Flock was out for a nice, long flight after that first week of school. It was nice being able to spread our wings and fly after having to keep them pressed tight against our backs all week. We were soaring high above Los Angeles, steering far clear of any news helicopters that happened to be in the area. I would much rather not be in the news, thank you very much.

Jackson and Chloe were at the mall… _again_. Seriously, it's like they go there every single day after school! And Jackson just has to take the sports car, doesn't he? Oh well, he can do what he wants.

_Max! You have to help Jackson!_ It was the Voice again. What was it talking about?

_What are you saying, Voice? Jackson and Chloe are at the mall._

_Not anymore, Max. The School got to them; they're being taken to the Death Valley facility where you were raised as we speak._

After hearing that, I very nearly fell out of the sky. I stopped flapping my wings for a second, and I fell a good sixty feet. Fang pulled up next to me.

"Max, what is it?"

"Shh! The Voice is talking to me, and it's important!"

_I've already contacted Angela Petrelli, the woman at the Company that was questioning you earlier. She has a method of transport ready and waiting for you that can take you to the School much faster than you could get there yourself, even with your super fast flying. Head over there now, or Chloe will be an experiment of the School's, and Jackson will be dissected piece by piece._

"Max! What is it?!" Fang again.

"We need to go back to that Company place. Jackson and Chloe have been kidnapped by the School!"

I heard Fang take a sharp hiss of breath, and Nudge looked like she was about to faint. Gasman didn't hear it, but Angel heard it in my thoughts; she was crying as she thought about what they would do to Jackson and Chloe.

"We need to go, now!"

"But Max," Iggy started. "Why the Company?"

"The Voice says they have a method of transport much faster than our flying can get us there. If we flew there ourselves, we would be too late. Come on!"

With that, we all turned towards where the Company facility was, and flew as fast as we could. We're coming guys! Just hold out as long as you can!

**Jackson POV**

When I finally woke up, I bolted dead upright and surveyed my surroundings. I was in what looked to be a laboratory. There were dog cages as far as the eye could see in this room, and most of them had something in them. When I looked to see what I was in, it wasn't a dog crate: I was inside a clear plastic box with air holes in it. Why was I in this and not a dog crate?

"Jackson! Oh my god are you alright?" I looked up at where the voice was coming from. Directly across from me, Chloe was in a dog cage. She looked horrible: her hair was all over the place, and her clothes were ripped in a number of places. I felt horrible for accidentally dragging her into this… but while I was thinking about it, what is 'this' in the first place?

"Yeah, I'm alright, but I'm more worried about you Chloe. Are you okay? Did they do anything to you?"

"I'm alright… my clothes are ripped, but that's it. Jackson, what was that you were doing back there in the alley? There were lightning bolts coming out of your hands!"

I took a deep breath. Oh boy. "Chloe, just picture this in your head for a second. Hypothetically, human DNA is capable of mutating on its own. Hypothetically, this mutation is only present in about half a percent of the current population. Now, say that, hypothetically, people with this genetic mutation were granted superhuman abilities. Now, say that it isn't hypothetical, but actually real, and that I'm one of those people with the mutation."

"What… is that even possible?"

"Yes it is. I'm one of those people with the mutation, so I have an ability." I held up my hand, and created a small orb of lightning. "I have the ability to generate and manipulate electricity. It's a broad ability with many possibilities, but unfortunately, I can't use it to break out of a plastic box. I'm sorry I didn't tell you this earlier; it's a secret of mine that only nine of my friends, well ten now, know it. I didn't even tell my parents."

"Wow… that's like, really cool and all, but where are we?"

I looked around, and through the door, I saw… a man in a white coat. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. I started breathing raggedly. I was now more scared than I ever have been.

"Jackson! Jackson! What is it?"

I told her about the Flock's real names and their wings, and considering what I had just shown her about myself, she seemed to believe it. "But," she said, "that doesn't answer the question of where we are."

"That's just it," I said. "It does. Chloe… this is the School that Max and Fang and everybody were talking about to me. This is the genetic research facility where they made Max and everybody else, and the Erasers. Chloe… this is where Max and the Flock grew up."


	8. Chapter 8: Experimentation

**So what did you all think of the last chapter? Reviews are welcome, they make me happy and make me write faster and faster and faster and faster and *goes on forever***

**This is a majorly important chapter. A Heroes canon character is going to make an appearance and lend a hand to Max and the Flock. Who is it? If you think really hard about "fast method of transport" you'll get it.**

**Disclaimer: Screw it. I've said this enough times.**

**Claimer: Don't lay a hand on Jackson or Chloe. This guy knows how to fight, and he means business.**

**Max POV**

We were flying as fast as we possibly could to the place where the Company had taken us on Monday. The whole way there, all I could do was worry. What were they doing to Jackson? What did they have in store for Chloe? I was more worried about Chloe though: Jackson was valuable so they wouldn't kill him. But Chloe was just a normal human; to them, that meant disposable. We had to go faster; who knows what ter Borcht had in mind?

After what felt like an eternity, but what was really twenty minutes, we arrived at the Company. I remembered that the building had said "Primatech Paper Company", but Jackson had explained that this was just a front for the secret dealings the Company had going on in the background.

We landed on the roof, opened the door to the stairwell, and walked down. We got out on the second floor, and I recognized where we were. I went the way to the office where Angela Petrelli was in last time.

When I burst through the door, Angela was sitting there waiting.

"Hello there, dearie. I got a message from an unknown source saying that you needed help. Do you know who sent it?"

"Yeah, it was this weird person who talks straight into my head; I call it the Voice. It mentioned that you could get us to Death Valley fast. Where is this transport?"

Angela didn't answer. Instead, she pressed a couple of buttons on her phone, and her secretary answered.

"Yes, Mrs. Petrelli?"

"Tell Hiro Nakamura to start heading over."

"Right away, ma'am." The secretary hung up.

"Who's Hiro Nakamura, where is he, and how can he help us?"

"My dear, Hiro Nakamura is the one who can help you. He's in Japan right now, but he should be here shortly."

"Japan?! It'll take him at least a day to—"

I was cut off by a strange _*pop*_ noise in the room, followed by a gust of wind. When I looked, I saw a Japanese man standing there. He looked like the real comic book nerd type. "How did you get here?" I asked.

"Hello," he said, with a bow. "My name is Hiro Nakamura, and I control time and space."

"Yeah yeah, I don't have time for introductions, all you need to know is I'm Max, and we," I pointed to the Flock, "need to get to Death Valley, fast. Can you take us there?" Hiro nodded.

"Everybody, touch some part of each other." All of us grabbed each other's hands, except for Fang; we grabbed him on the arm. Hiro came over to me, laid his hand on my shoulder, and squinted. The next moment, everything went black for a few seconds, and then we reappeared somewhere else. When I looked around, the shock of recognition hit me: we were in Death Valley.

"I am sorry, but I have to go. Good luck with your quest." With that, Hiro squinted his eyes again, and vanished. **(A/N: This is before Peter and Hiro lose their powers, just in case you're wondering.) **We were left in Death Valley with the School about two football fields away.

"Let's go. We don't have any time to lose!"

**Jackson POV**

Not five minutes after I had told Chloe my story, the Flock's story and where we were did the whitecoats come in with a cart.

"What are you going to do to us," I snarled through the plastic box I was trapped in. The whitecoats ignored me. Instead, they went over to Chloe's cage, and started putting it on the cart.

"Jackson! Help!"

"Hey! Whitecoats! What are you planning to do to her?!" The lead whitecoat chuckled.

"She's going to be the first experiment we test a new technique on."

"No!" I cried out in fury. "No! Don't do anything to her! Take me instead! I'll do anything you want, just don't hurt her!" The whitecoat cackled this time.

"Stupid, stupid boy. Is this really an example of the next step of human evolution?" He put on a rubber glove that reached up half his arm, and withdrew a syringe. I instantly coated my entire body in a sheath of electricity. It didn't stop him though; somehow this needle wasn't metal. It pierced my skin, and he gave me the injection. I started feeling weak.

"Jackson!" Chloe was screaming at the top of her lungs and beating as hard as she could against the bars of the dog crate. I couldn't do anything to help her; the injection the whitecoat gave me was apparently a sedative, because my world started to go dark.

"With our new techniques, by the time you wake up it will already be too late for you to stop us. So sorry." He turned around and cackled like a madman.

"Jackson!" Chloe cried again. "What are you going to do to us?! Answer me!"

"Chloe… be… careful…" That was all I could say before my world went black.

**(A/N: Time for a first in this story!)**

**Chloe's POV**

"Jackson! Jackson!" I was beating against the bars of the dog crate as hard as I could, for all the good it would do. I turned to what appeared to be the lead scientist. "What are you going to do to me?!"

"Think for a second, little girl. I'm certain that he told you about those somewhat failed experiments, Maximum Ride and her so-called "Flock". Well, what are the one thing those six have that nobody else does?"

My eyes went wide. "Wings."

"Correct, girlie. And that's exactly what we're going to give you, so that we may test this new method of ours." I panicked; they were going to mess with my DNA! "Get me the injection. Prepare the sensory deprivation tank!"

About three of those creatures that Jackson had called Erasers opened up the crate and pulled me out. I was kicking and scratching them as much as I could, but I had no effect. I was doomed.

The lead doctor came up to me, rubbed my left arm with an alcohol pad, and stuck an enormous needle in me with an even bigger syringe. As he emptied the contents into my body, I felt a strange numbness overtaking my body, like I'd been given a full-body dose of Lidocaine. I couldn't feel where the Erasers were holding me anymore, and I certainly couldn't move any part of my body. One of the men in a white coat came up to me with a scalpel, and made two incisions around my shoulder blades. Then, the Erasers opened up what could only have been the sensory deprivation tank, threw me inside, and closed the top.

The numbness that I had previously felt had given way to a dull ache by now. It wasn't much, but it was there. But it was only going to go downhill from there.

Suddenly, my body felt like there were a million searing hot needled being stabbed into my skin. What I felt could only be described as pure agony. I felt my body contort with the pain, and I let out an ear-piercing scream of torment. The pain continued for a while before receding around most of my body, only to concentrate itself in my back. I heard a strange, wet noise that I've heard in horror movies, and the pain suddenly stopped. I sat there in the tank for a while, trying to comprehend what I had just experienced, when the tank opened. The Erasers grabbed me out of the tank, and forced me back into the dog crate.

"What did you do to me?!" I yelled at the nearest scientist. He didn't respond, only pointing behind me. I turned around, saw myself in the mirror… and screamed louder than I have ever screamed before.


	9. Chapter 9: Evolution

**Well? What did you all think of the last chapter? Reviews welcome. This chapter is going to be one of the most important in the story. A nightmare from Jackson's past is revealed, the School facility is utterly destroyed, and help arrives… but it's already too late. Just so you know, this is a Jackson-centric chapter.**

**Disclaimer: Screw it. You already know. "Animal I Have Become" is property of Three Days Grace**

**Claimer: You touch Jackson or Chloe, and I will kill you twenty different ways.**

**Max POV**

We were outside the School, and were planning the best way to get in.

"There are no doubt going to be armed guards," Iggy said. "I've got a couple bombs ready, including some of Jackson's lightning bombs."

"No," I said. "We need to in quickly and quietly. That's our only chance of getting to them without raising an alarm.

"I'm in," Fang mumbled. Quickly and quietly was his style, so he and I would take the lead here.

"Are we all in agreement as to the plan?" I asked the Flock. Everybody nodded. "It's settled. Alright, let's—"

"Max!" Angel had a worried look on her face.

"What is it, Angel?" She turned to me, looking sick to her stomach.

"It's Chloe… I just read her thoughts, and all I can pick up is pain. And not just ordinary pain; she's going through more pain right now than any of us have in our entire lives. Max, I think we might be too late!"

"In that case, we need to hurry! Let's go!" We unfolded our wings, and moved quietly through the night sky. When we got within a hundred feet of the School, we all dive-bombed towards the roof. Almost as soon as we landed, I heard an ear-piercing scream; it was Chloe.

"C'mon, we've got to hurry!" We moved quickly and quietly across the rooftop, opening up a window and heading in. I ushered everybody inside, but before I went in myself I noticed immense flashes of blue. Was it Jackson? What were they doing to him? I didn't have time to think about that, though. I got in through the window, closed it behind us, and noticed that Fang and Iggy had already knocked out two whitecoats.

"Good going. Let's move."

**Jackson POV**

When I woke from the effects of the sedative, I tried to figure out what was happening. They had taken Chloe, yes, but what were they doing to—

An intensely loud scream filled my ears. It was Chloe! This was a scream of horror; I had to get to her fast!

"Chloe! Let me out!" I started harnessing my lightning when the unbelievable happened.

My ability evolved.

A sword of lightning suddenly appeared coming straight out from my left wrist. I looked at it for a second; this was nothing like anything I had done before. I tried cutting open the plastic box with it; the prison holding me fell apart as if I was dragging a hot knife through butter. I looked at my left arm one last time, sending the sword away. I'd pull it out if I needed it later.

"Chloe! I'm coming!"

I dashed out of the area with the dog crates, and saw five whitecoats in the room I had just run into.

"Where is Chloe! Tell me where you sons of bitches took her!" I whipped my left hand across my body and sent a fatal amount of electricity into the whitecoat on the far left. All the other whitecoats started backing away from me in fear. I let out an animalistic yell and sent lightning straight into two more of them. They crumpled onto the floor dead. I burst out of the lab and into the hallway.

"Chloe! Where are you!"

_I can't escape this hell_

_So many times i've tried_

_But i'm still caged inside_

_Somebody get me through this nightmare_

_I can't control myself_

I burst out into a hallway, and Erasers started pouring in after me.

"Tell me where you took my girlfriend, you monsters!" I let out beams of pure electricity from both hands, engulfing both sides of the hallway. When I was finally finished, every single Eraser had a hole burned through them, and some of them were missing their top halves.

"Chloe!" I ran down the hallway, searching for her. I had never used this much power before without passing out. What was going on?

_So what if you can see the darkest side of me?_

_No one will ever change this animal I have become_

_Help me believe it's not the real me_

_Somebody help me tame this animal_

I ran further down the hallway, and entered a door that said "Experiment Laboratory". Inside, I found a number of whitecoats, one of which was telling the rest of them what to do. I stepped inside, and immediately incapacitated all but the lead whitecoat. He didn't appear to be fazed by my immense display of fury. I ran up to him, grabbed him by his collar with my right hand, brought the lightning sword out on my left arm, rammed him up against the wall, and brought the sword up to his neck.

"If you ever want to see the light of day again, tell me where you took Chloe!"

He let out a sinister laugh.

"You're too late, Sparky. We already did our experiment, and it was a resounding success. But if you must know, she's in the last door on the left at the other end of the hallway. But it seems like your whole mission was a failure…" He burst into laughter, the way I would imagine an evil genius would.

_I can't escape myself_

_(I can't escape myself)_

_So many times i've lied_

_(So many times i've lied)_

_But there's still rage inside_

_Somebody get me through this nightmare_

_I can't control myself_

Fury hissed in my ears, tinting my vision blue. I saw that my eyes had started glowing electric blue in the reflection off his glasses. I didn't care. I stabbed him in the gut with my sword, withdrew it, and let him crumble to the floor. I dispelled the sword in time to see Max and the rest of the Flock burst through the door.

"Jackson! What happened?"

"She's this way." I burst out the door, and started running towards the lab where Chloe was being held.

When I burst through the door, I saw Chloe huddled up inside a dog crate. I immediately brought the lightning sword back out, sliced the crate door off, and pulled Chloe out of the crate.

"Oh my god Chloe? Are you all right?"

Tears were streaming down her face. Her eyes were red and puffy, as if she had been crying for a very long time, or been crying intensely for a short time. Chloe opened her mouth to speak, but no noise came out, just more sobbing.

And then she spread her wings.


	10. Chapter 10: Destruction

**This chapter: Help arrives too late, the School facility is destroyed, and Jackson's dark past is brought to light.**

**Disclaimer: Not worried about that now.**

**Claimer: You already know.**

**Jackson POV**

I couldn't speak. I couldn't move. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, and now I wanted to kill the whitecoats even more than I had before.

They had taken my Chloe and turned her into an experiment. They had given her wings.

The anger welled up inside me, but it was couple with a new emotion. Sadness. Sadness that I had let somebody hurt Chloe. I'd promised I would protect her, but… I failed…

I felt sparks come off of my left hand. I jerked straight up, and took in a sharp hiss of breath. Please. Please, not again. Not ever. Especially not with so many of my friends here… I don't ever want this to happen again! I tried to push the electricity away; it was no use, the sparks were still coming.

"Max," I said, breaking the silence. "Take Chloe and get out of here. Get at least a quarter mile away. Hurry! I can only hold myself in check for so long!" The electricity had started jumping off of my right hand also. I was trying to control myself with as much of my willpower as remained, but even I knew that I couldn't hold it back much longer.

Max nodded grimly, and grabbed Chloe. The only thing that happened is that she started crying even harder than she was already. It pained me to see her like this, but I didn't ant to hurt her. This was my battle, one that I had been avoiding for almost two years now. But it was time to face the music; I couldn't run forever.

I waited about five minutes for the Flock to get Chloe far enough away that she wouldn't get caught in the blast. In that time, the electricity had formed a sheath around both of my hands. My body was screaming in pain, but I didn't let a sound escape my lips. The more I felt, the more devastating the burst would be.

I held it for another minute before I realized I could hold it no more. I stopped fighting, and let the wave of emotions I was holding back wash over me. Anger. Fury. Sadness. Devastation. But among all of these, one of them stood out: Hatred. Hatred for the whitecoats for doing horrid things like this. Hatred for the sick people who could actually condone these experiments. But above all, hatred for the ones that had hurt Chloe in a way no physical wound could. And now… they were going to pay.

I stopped fighting the power. Instead, I embraced it… and I exploded. A strange, monstrous yell escaped my throat, and what came with it was an immense explosion of electricity, more power than I had ever used at one time. A pillar of lightning had formed around me, and arcs twice as big as lightning bolts were destroying everything around me. I didn't care; this place deserved to be destroyed.

I kept the power going. I was going to raze this place so that nothing's left but a pile of debris and ashes!

**Max POV**

I had grabbed Chloe and led the Flock out of the School. We didn't know what was going to happen to Jackson; all I could gather was that he didn't want us to be there for it. When we got outside, we all snapped our wings open, with the exception of Chloe. The best word I can use to describe her state was catatonic. She couldn't speak, and all she was doing was sobbing. Her wings were so tight against her back that I wouldn't have been surprised if they went into her body.

When we were far enough away, the Flock landed, and I put Chloe down. We were all facing the School, and while the windows were small, we could clearly make out the flashes of lightning that were appearing inside. The problem was, they were growing brighter and brighter.

Not much later did I hear a horrible yell of pure hatred come from the School, punctuated with nothing less than a giant pillar of electricity coming out of the top of the facility. All of us stared in awe for half a minute when I heard a strange explosion-like noise beside me.

I turned around, and saw a man wearing jeans and a jacket. He looked to be in his mid-twenties, and his hair was flopped on one side of his face. When I saw him, the rest of the Flock noticed him too; we all got ready for a fight.

"Whoa, wait, I'm on your side!" he said. I relaxed, but just a little; I didn't know if I could trust him yet. "My name is Peter Petrelli. I came as soon as my mom told me that Jackson had been taken."

"Wait," I said, "you know Jackson?" Peter nodded.

"I met him in France, about a day after the first time this happened," he said, motioning towards the giant column of electricity lighting up the night sky. "Claude, or the invisible man as I call him, found Jackson and took him to his house for a few days to help Jackson get control over his powers again after the incident."

"First, let me guess: evolved human? Second, Jackson never told anybody about an incident in France."

"Yeah, I'm an evolved human," he said. "You?"

"Recombinant life form," Fang replied. He punctuated this by extending his left wing so that Peter could see.

"Oh." Interestingly enough, Peter wasn't very taken aback by this. "I've seen weirder things than that, that's why it doesn't bug me."

Wait a minute, did he just—

"Yeah, I read your mind. Sorry about that. I'm an empath, which means I can mimic other people's powers."

"Cool beans," Iggy said just then. "Now, would you please explain this whole France thing!"

"Well," Peter began, "I think it would be better to just show all of you."

***************************

**Chloe POV**

While Jackson was letting out the pillar of electricity, some weird man I've never seen before appeared out of thin air, and started talking to Max and the Flock. I didn't care. I didn't care about anything right now. What those people had done to me… they had destroyed my very feeling of self. I wasn't Chloe anymore. I was some… thing that came out of a science experiment. I didn't think I could ever go back to the way I lived before.

I was listening to the conversation off and on, when something Peter said broke through to me.

"Well, I think it would be better to just show all of you." A moment later, everything in my field of vision went completely white. I closed my eyes for just a second, and when I opened them again, I was somewhere else.

I looked around, and saw the Eiffel Tower in the distance. Paris? How? I didn't have time for an answer though; Peter pointed down at four people walking through the streets. I looked down, and gasped. It was Jackson. But it was a younger version of Jackson, and he had three other people his age with him. What was going on?

The four of them took a side street, and then one of them stopped and said they were going the wrong way. When they turned around, I saw that three men in ski masks had appeared, wielding knives and guns. Oh my god…

Jackson's three friends all took out their wallets and put all their money on the floor. Jackson alone resisted; he said something in French that I didn't understand, and then one of the muggers went up to him and pushed him into a wall, holding a knife to his throat. The second mugger held two of his friends at gunpoint, and the third went over to one of the two girls in the group, pushed her to the ground, and tried to rape her.

"Nooooo!" I looked at Jackson; he had just let out that yell. His entire body was glowing blue, and lightning was jumping off him in random arcs. He let out another scream just like the one I had heard right before the pillar had appeared from the School, and a smaller lightning pillar appeared. The sky above us suddenly turned stormy, and lightning bolts rained down everywhere. I looked back at Jackson; he had stepped out of the pillar, and his appearance shocked me.

There were blue arcs of electricity running up and down his body erratically. His hands were completely engulfed in lightning, and his eyes were glowing a scary electric blue. He held his hands up, and shot beams of pure lightning at the other two living muggers. They were completely blown away, and when that was over, Jackson's appearance went back to normal. He fell on the ground and passed out.

The vision suddenly vanished, and I was looking back at Jackson's current pillar of lightning. Peter started talking again.

"Out of all the evolved humans on this planet, Jackson has it worst. Every single time he uses his power, he's in a battle with himself for control. What you see here is what happens when he loses the battle. He's powerful, but the price is that he has to be more disciplined than anyody I have ever met so that he doesn't hurt the people he loves."

I had no idea… all this time I just thought Jackson was somebody who didn't show much emotion, when in truth he'd been shouldering such a horrible burden…

_Oh please Jackson,_ I thought, _please stay alive! Fight it! You can win!_

**Jackson POV**

The lightning was still pouring out of me. This was much stronger than before; how much longer would it go on before I passed out on the floor? How much longer could I keep this up before it drained the life out of me!

_Oh please Jackson, please stay alive! Fight it! You can win!_

What the… Chloe? How did I hear her in my head? I don't know, but just hearing her encouraged me to try.

I started to reign in the lightning as much as I could with what little control was left. The pillar faltered, and began to shrink. I kept pulling on it; I would not let this consume me!

In a flash, the pillar burst outward and diffused. The lightning stopped, and I could feel it dissipating. I held up my hand and created a small lightning orb; it was even easier to create it now. How was that possible…

I got up, and started staggering out the door. When I was outside, I saw everybody coming towards me. Max was carrying Chloe, but I noticed a new figure in the group… Peter? Where did he…

I didn't have time to ask. The Flock reached me, and Chloe ran straight for me. I took her in my arms, and we stayed there for a long time. She unfurled her wings, and wrapped them around us two. I was exhausted; I was barely awake with what little energy remained.

"Well then," I heard Peter say, "shall we go home?"

I nodded weakly. I was still holding onto Chloe when I felt Peter's hand on my shoulder. The next moment, we were gone.


	11. Chapter 11: Connection

**In response to one of the things I read in a review of last chapter, just send me a PM if you want me to explain Jackson's whole "he has it worse than anyone else" thing. It's an interesting concept, and makes a much more dynamic character, because a near-omnipotent being is only interesting when they have a flaw that can completely destroy them, and while Jackson's far from omnipotent, I felt that he needed the flaw. This chapter: Next day, Jackson and Chloe reconcile with the events of the previous day, and another interesting realization. Once again, a Jackson/Chloe-centric chapter.**

**Disclaimer: *mutters something about how Tim Kring and James Patterson have it good***

**Claimer: Hey, you! Plagiarizer! Yes, you. Put Jackson and Chloe back where you found them. I've got a switchblade, and I'm not afraid to use it.**

***************************************

**Jackson POV**

I opened my eyes very slowly, taking in what I was seeing. I don't remember anything of last night after I wrested control over my power from whatever was creating that lightning pillar, and I also remember how I felt even more in control than I ever have. But what else happened after that?

"Peter here took all of you to Max's house. Don't you remember, my boy?" I bolted dead upright. I hadn't heard that voice in over a year.

"Claude? Is that you? Don't bother hiding from me, or I'll just shoot electricity around the whole room to find you."

Sure enough, he popped out of nowhere. Claude Rains was my first mentor; he taught me how to control my powers after my first outburst in Paris. After that day, I had a very hard time controlling my abilities, and the more powerful my powers became the more disciplined I had to become in order to retain control.

"It's good to see you again too, Jackson. How have the United States been treating you?"

"Oh, just fine," I responded. "I've been placed in Level Five twice, and broken out twice, been abducted by insane geneticists who turned my girlfriend into a recombinant DNA experiment, and my powers exploded again, but other than that I'm alright."

"Jackson, you do remember what changed with your ability after the first explosion," Claude mentioned. What was he getting at?"

"Yeah, I remember," I said. "I got stronger and my control increased, but what does that… oh." Claude laughed and slapped his knee.

"So you see, my boy, that every time you have one of those explosions your powers evolve! Most of us have to practice for _years_ to achieve the level of strength you're at now! Whereas a lightning orb actually drained a meager amount of energy, you can make it without so much as blinking!"

I tried it out; much to my surprise (not), he was right. But then again, when it came to coaching people on how to better use their abilities, Claude was the best of the best. And that's _not_ an over-exaggeration in the slightest.

"So," I said, "what does the Invisible Man suggest I do next?"

"How can you be this bloody stupid and get such a strong power?" I gave Claude a death glare and brought out my lightning sword. "At least you have a few new tricks. Let's see, I suggest that instead of levitating fifteen feet off the ground for a few minutes and then passing out, you should try actually flying. I'm certain you can do it, especially considering that you were floating inside the lightning pillars you were making both times."

"Whoa whoa whoa, back up a second," I said. "What do you mean I was floating in them?"

"Did an Irishman come in here and load you full of whiskey? You were floating in the pillars as if you were flying the way Peter can."

"Somebody call my name?" Peter Petrelli, who had also helped me gain control of my powers, came in the door. "Oh yeah, Jackson? Chloe's awake."

As soon as Peter mentioned Chloe's name, I got what can only be described as a mind-numbing headache. I closed my eyes, grabbed my head… and saw images flickering through my mind's eye. They looked like memories… but they weren't mine. I saw some things similar to what I had gone through: the abduction in the alley, the School facility, the whitecoats carting Chloe away on the cart… but the rest of the memories were different. After watching all of them, it hit me: I was looking at Chloe's memories. What the hell was going on?

"Heh," Claude remarked. "Guess it finally happened."

"Huh?" I questioned. "What are you talking about?"

"With your ability Jackson," Claude started explaining, "you can see peoples' natural electrical frequencies, which you mistakenly refer to as their electrical 'signature'. You never stopped to look at your own frequency, which, due to the nature of your ability, doesn't actually stay the same. However, I predicted that eventually you would find somebody whose frequency you would accidentally duplicate on multiple occasions, creating a temporary telepathic connection for as long as the frequency and wavelength stayed the same. This would only happen with one person, and it seems Chloe is that person for you."

"So, essentially whoever's frequency I mimic is, like, my soul mate?" Claude just laughed.

"If that's what you want to think, then yes. But right now I think you should have more important things on your mind. Peter has told me that Chloe is deeply troubled, and isn't responding to anybody. Maybe you could talk to her?"

I tore off the blankets of the bed I had been sleeping in. Claude and Peter both turned invisible right then, and I glared at them, or at least where I thought they were. "Don't follow me. This is my personal life." I didn't know if they were still following me, so I went out the door into the hall.

"Oh, Jackson, you're awake!" I turned around; it was Max who had said that. "If you're looking for Chloe, she's in the room directly across from yours. Can you try and break her out of that trance she's in? Oh yeah, Iggy's making breakfast, so hurry up or you'll miss out!" I was about to make a sardonic remark about how the blind kid's making breakfast, but I bit my tongue. Chloe was the most important thing on my mind right now.

I knocked on the door before I went in. When I opened the door, I saw Chloe just sitting there on the bed, wings slightly wrapped around her. At the School, my emotions were playing with the fluorescent lighting, and outside it was dark, so I'd never gotten a good look at her wings. They were multiple shades of brown, growing lighter towards the middle and then darker outwards at the ends, and the tips faded to an electric blue. It was incredibly beautiful, but what worried me was Chloe herself. She was incredibly downcast, and she looked like she'd been crying all day. I guessed that she had cried herself to sleep.

I went over to her and sat down on the bed, directly in front of her. I didn't think that words were going to break through to her at this point, so I had to take another approach. I instantly recalled the conversation Claude and I had just had. Maybe I could try and match up my electrical frequency with Chloe's…

I started to concentrate, and paid very close attention to the pattern of Chloe's signature. I closed my eyes, visualizing my own erratic signature, and tried to meld mine into the same pattern Chloe's was in. When I opened my eyes, I looked in the mirror directly behind Chloe, and gasped—my eyes had started to glow electric blue. Maybe this was a sign that our frequencies were resonating? There was only one way to tell: test it.

_Chloe? Can you hear me?_ When I thought this, I saw Chloe's head jerk up slightly, and her eyes suddenly snapped into focus.

_Angel? Is that you?_

_Chloe, Angel is downstairs eating breakfast. I'm not sure she would be able to speak to you like this and stuff her face at the same time._

_Oh,_ she answered. _Peter then?_

I didn't respond mentally. Instead, I brought my hand up, and smacked myself on the forehead. Facepalm.

_Wha… Jackson? But… how?_

_I don't quite understand it myself,_ I answered, _but apparently you're the only person I can do it with. Listen, Chloe… I'm sorry. I made a promise that I wouldn't let anybody hurt you, but… I failed…_

Chloe unfurled her wings a little more, so that they reached around me as well. She started to close them a little bit, and dragged me closer in the process.

_Chloe? What are you—_

_It's not myself that I was worried about just now,_ Chloe thought back. _I was more worried about you… I saw the outburst, and then Peter showed us an image of the first time, and I got worried… I was afraid that even though you survived, you wouldn't be the same… Jackson? Can you promise me one thing?_

_Anything,_ I answered.

_I don't ever want to be left without you. Just tell me you'll always be there._

_I will_, I replied. _Always, now and ever._

I reached forward, and took Chloe around the waist, pulling her close to me. We shared an embrace… and then the weirdest thing happened.

Chloe started pulling in her wings, and once they were flat on her back, a flap of skin appeared, covered them up, and returned her back to what it had looked like before the whitecoats had given her wings…

"Uhh… Chloe…"

"Huh?" The telepathic link was still open; I could tell because my eyes were still glowing blue. I sent her an image in the form of a memory of what had just happened. Chloe pulled away, and her eyes were wide. She immediately reached both of her handsto her back, and covered every single possible inch of it, feeling for the wing joint. But it wasn't there.

"Every single member of the Flock has an ability because their DNA mutates. Angel can read minds, Gasman can mimic anybody's voice perfectly, Nudge is clairsentient, Iggy can recognize somebody by feeling their fingerprint, Fang fades into the shadows, and Max can fly at near supersonic speeds," I finished. "Chloe… I think your ability… _is to hide your wings so that you appear like a normal human_."

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**Max POV**

The Flock was eating an amazing breakfast made up of heaping mounds of pancakes, courtesy of Iggy. Each member of the Flock had taken around eight pancakes, and we had also invited Peter and another acquaintance of his, Claude (who had the annoying habit of turning invisible to go check up on Jackson and Chloe every minute or so) to join in on the breakfast.

"So," Peter asked, "how is it that Iggy is such a good chef? I mean, I still have my sight, and I can't cook anywhere near as good as this!" Peter had been asking question after question to the Flock; why didn't he just read our minds? "Because I only read the thoughts you're currently thinking; any deeper and that's just invading your privacy."

"Yeah, well," I said, "could you stop even doing that? Angel I don't mind, but I've only known you for a day. No offense, Pete."

"None taken," he fired back. "But don't call me Pete. Only my brother says that." I let out a small laugh. I didn't know who his brother was, but after meeting his mom, I don't think I want to know.

Nudge was facing directly opposite me, and she suddenly stood up and ran behind me. I turned around, and I saw Jackson and Chloe heading down the stairs finally. Nudge ran up to them, and started talking really fast again.

"Oh my god, you two are up! How did you two sleep? Were the beds comfortable? Did you sleep well? Jackson, do you know this Claude guy? Why does he keep disappearing? Chloe what color are your wings? How big are they? Jackson, why are your eyes glowing blue?" Jackson answered all of the questions in order.

"Well, yes, yes again, yes I know him because he was my mentor, he turns invisible, Chloe's wings are mostly brown with some electric blue at the tips, fourteen feet across, and wow, I forgot my eyes were still like this, thanks Nudge."

Jackson closed his eyes for a second, and when he opened them up again, his eyes were back to their normal brown color. He looked at Iggy, and frowned. "How is it that Iggy, who's blind, can cook more pancakes in a short time than I could if given two hours?"

I handed plates to both Chloe and Jackson, telling them to help themselves. Jackson grabbed three pancakes, and Chloe took… one. "Umm, Chloe? You're a mutant bird-kid now, you're going to need to eat more than that if you don't want to pass out because of your hyper-fast metabolism."

"Oh…" She looked kind of funny. "Well, how much do I need to eat?"

"I have three pancakes on my plate right now, and I've already eaten three." Chloe's eyes went incredibly wide.

"Oh my god, that's so much food! How are you not, like, two hundred pounds overweight?"

"Like I said, fast metabolism. I only weigh ninety pounds; actually, that's probably how much you weigh too right now." Chloe's face lit up at that, and she jumped about three feet into the air.

"Oh yeah," Jackson said, "we've got something to show you. You know how each of you have abilities? Well, we found out what Chloe's is." Chloe unfurled her wings, and then turned around. What was she doing?

She tucked her wings in, and once they were flat against her back, a flap of skin appeared, covered up her wings, and flattened her back out to what it had been like before the experiment. My jaw dropped. The joint wasn't even showing… how was that even possible? I looked around at everybody else; even Peter, who had been completely unfazed by our wings yesterday, was staring mouth agape. Chloe just giggled.

"Okay," I said, finally breaking the silence. "Now I'm jealous."

Everybody stopped talking then, and started tucking in. And by tucking in, I meant eating ravenously, with the exception of Claude and Peter; Claude had gone invisible and probably left, and Peter was full.

"Hey Peter, can you pass me the syrup?" Peter telekinetically lifted the syrup bottle and handed it to Jackson. "Thanks."

Jackson finished his three pancakes… and went to get three more. I stared at him. "What? If _you_ had let out enough electricity to power all of Tokyo, and then not eaten afterwards, wouldn't you be hungry too?" I didn't have an answer to that. Chloe just laughed; she was on pancake number five. I could tell she had never eaten this much at one time by the way she was amazed by how many more bites of food she was putting in her mouth.

After Chloe had finished with her sixth pancake, and Jackson had gone up to get two more (honestly? Where is he putting them?), Peter pushed his chair back and stood up.

"Well, it was nice meeting everybody. Thanks for breakfast Iggy, and thanks to the rest of you for showing me something I otherwise would never have seen. And Jackson? I hope your luck with women turns out better than mine." With that, Peter closed his eyes and disappeared, leaving a little vortex in his place.

"Jackson? What did Peter mean by better luck with women than he had?" Gasman was the one asking this question.

"Long story short? The first woman that Peter fell in love with died because of a bullet meant for him while he was invisible, and the second woman Peter loved is currently trapped in a future which doesn't exist anymore, which probably means she was completely removed from time itself and has ceased to exist." Nudge held her hand over her mouth. I didn't think anybody could have it so bad… "The worst part is," Jackson continued, "that because of one of the powers he absorbed Peter can't die, so while he's survived things maybe ten other people could, he's seen people dying all around him and can't do a thing about it." I really felt bad for Peter right now. I quickly changed the subject.

Or at least I was about to when Peter appeared again.

"Oh right, I almost forgot. Jackson, I teleported your car out front, and I'm putting the keys on counter. Bye!" With that Peter disappeared once again. Jackson went over to the counter, grabbed his car keys, and shoved them in his pocket.

"Thank god," he said. "If I had let that car get turned into a scrap heap in a junkyard, my parents would have killed me." Everybody started laughing. "It's not funny!" But we all just started laughing harder.

"Anyways," I said, "back to what I was going to say before Peter popped in again. Chloe, because you have wings now, we need to teach you how to fly."

Chloe very nearly spit out the orange juice she was drinking. "What?! Is that even possible? I mean, I only just got these wings on my back yesterday…" She stood up, took a few steps back, and extended her wings to their full fourteen-foot wingspan. "Do you really think I'll be able to learn how to fly in just one day?"

I shrugged. "Stranger things have happened." I turned towards Jackson. "I already told Chloe's parents that she would be staying at our place over the weekend. Are your parents back from Vegas yet?" Jackson shook his head. "They're coming back tonight. Which means that I've got to fill up the car before I bring it back to my house; they gave me an explicit no driving order. But then again," he said, bringing out that weird lightning sword of his, "it's not like they can tell me what to do anymore."

"And Chloe," I said, "are we telling your parents about the whole wings thing? Or no?"

"No, I don't want them to know. I don't want to freak out my parents, so I'll only tell them if I really need to."

"Alright," I said. "It's settled. Jackson, do you know about any really wide open areas in Los Angeles?"

"I know a few," he responded. "It's a good hour long drive on the freeway though, so just keep my car in sight the whole time. And keep away from news choppers, whatever you do."

With the plan all set out, Jackson and Chloe stepped out the door, and the Flock went to get dressed. Chloe was going to love this…


	12. Chapter 12: First Flight

**This chapter: The Flock teaches Chloe how to fly, and can Jackson really, truly fly as well? Plus… Meet the Parents! Jackson's parents return from Vegas! Sorry for these Jackson/Chloe centric chapters, I know it's a Maximum Ride fanfic; don't worry though, ordinary life chapters start up after this one and (possibly) after the next.**

**Disclaimer: ZZZZZzzzzz….**

**Claimer: You've seen it enough.**

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**Jackson POV**

Yes, yet another car ride. I was getting so much practice from all this driving that when I finally took my license test, it would be a complete and utter cakewalk. But now, we were headed out towards the valley where I knew of a few pretty abandoned places that Chloe could learn to fly without too much trouble. The one I was specifically heading to right now is actually a course for middle school cross country teams, something which I would have pestered Nudge to do had the Flock come about a month earlier. Only two weeks of school remained until winter break, and who knew what we were all going to do then.

The drive was moderately annoying; there had been a fender-bender and of course everybody on the freeway just _had_ to slow down at the accident to look at it. I was considering sticking my hand out the window and shooting a small bit of electricity at the next person who stopped… but that'd just give me away, and then Bennet would have to come and lock me up again… and I didn't like that prospect. Level Five is not a fun place to be.

Luckily for me, the windows on the car are tinted, so Chloe spent most of the car ride carefully examining the colors on her left wing.

"I think it's cool and weird at the same time that there's electric blue in here."

"Yeah, well, it's probably from being so close to a walking generator all the time," I answered.

"I still think it looks pretty." Man, she had really recuperated fast from yesterday. I'm guessing it was the realization that she can just hide the wings away when she didn't want anybody to see them… major bonus for her.

"Hey," I began, "what do you think John's going to do on Monday? Fang made a fool of him on Wednesday, and he was really brooding the other two days. How much you want to be we'll see another fight?"

"Why is it that all you boys can think about is fighting and explosions?"

I didn't have an answer to that. Instead, I reached over and pulled on Chloe's wing a little bit. The feathers were really soft, but she retracted her wing pretty quickly.

"Hey! They're mine, get your own!"

"If the whitecoats had tried to give me wings too," I explained, "my already mutated DNA would probably have made the injection tear me apart molecule by molecule. I already saw it in my head, and it's not a pretty picture. Besides… earlier this morning, Claude told me that I should try to use my powers to fly for real. Every other time I've 'flown', it's just been levitation, and I couldn't maintain it. Maybe something's different this time?"

"We'll see," Chloe said with a giggle. She reached over to the volume button and turned the radio on. "Ooh I love this song!" Thank god for satellite radio…

When we finally arrived, I parked the car, locked it, and went out into a clearing surrounded by trees. We were about a mile or so away from the cross-country course, and it was a Saturday, so nobody would be here.

The Flock landed behind us and everybody folded in their wings.

"Nice place," Fang said. Geez, talk a little less why don't you…

"Anyways," Max said, "shall we get started? Jackson, you gonna try too?"

"Naw," I replied. "If I get an epiphany on how to fly for real with my powers, then maybe, but until then I'm gonna just lie down in the grass." Apparently Iggy shared my sentiment, because he laid down next to me and stared straight up… or as well as you can when you're blind.

I saw Max and Chloe up on a small ledge. Max was trying to explain the whole 'running start' method of flying, but Chloe obviously wasn't quite getting it. I decided that maybe I would lend a helping hand…

I matched my electrical frequency back up with Chloe's, and stared at my reflection in the screen of my cell-phone to make sure I'd done it right. Yep, my eyes were electric blue again.

I closed my eyes, and tried to use the telepathic link to see what Chloe was seeing, and hear what she was seeing. After a few moments, something came into focus.

"—and you need to run _fast_, not jog. Also, a little jump right when you beat your wings down doesn't hurt. I'll do it one more time, but then I want you to try."

"But I've already tried, like, five times!"

"So you don't want to fly?" Max questioned in almost antagonizing tone.

"I never said—"

"Then don't give up! Okay, watch." Through Chloe's eyes, I saw Max run forward, unfurl her wings, and beat down hard at the same time as she jumped.

_If she's doing it so perfectly, how come I can't get it? _I heard Chloe's thoughts that were running through her mind clear as day, just as if they were my own.

_It's because you weren't watching closely enough,_ I thought to her. _Notice that when she jumped, she had a slight drop-off from where her last step was before the jump. While it was pretty small, it still helped._

_Jackson, did I let you into my head?_ Chloe thought this playfully.

_Hey, if you don't want my advice, then just say so!_

_That's not what I meant! Oh, this is so frustrating!_

_Just try it,_ I thought back. I didn't say anything else though.

_Okay,_ Chloe thought, and took a deep breath. _Here goes…_

I stopped looking through Chloe's eyes so that I could see this. I saw Chloe take a fast running start, and right before her jump, she found a three-foot drop-off. She jumped up, unfurled her wings, and beat down hard, rising at least eight feet in the air. She kept beating in a rhythmic pattern, and sure enough, she was flying! I watched her for a good five minutes, feeling the immense joy that she was feeling through the telepathy. Man, what I wouldn't give to be up there with her…

Remember I said something about how I would try flying if I got my epiphany? Well… it just came.

My mind was assaulted with a number of strange images. One of them was of a thunderstorm, another was a hurricane, a third was a monsoon, and the fourth was a tornado. I didn't know what all these had to do with each other, but apparently my ability was sorting this all out for me. All I needed to know is that something new was present in my mind… a new instinct. The images faded out of my mind, and I stood up with new determination.

_Chloe? _I thought out to her, trying to see if she could still talk while flying yet.

_Oh my god Jackson, I'm flying! It's incredible!_

_I'm pretty envious of you right now Chloe… but maybe not for long. Watch me down on the ground. I'm going to try something new…_

With that, I called to mind those four images that had appeared in my mind before, and felt the electricity spread through my body in a way it never had before. I actually was at a loss for words as to this sensation, but I felt the urge to run forward. I started running, faster and faster, until I realized that my feet weren't on the ground anymore!

I angled myself skyward, put my feet together, and willed myself to go higher and join Chloe. I can't describe how euphoric the experience was. It was absolutely incredible, and just can't be described with any of the words that currently exist in the English language.

But this was it. I was really flying. And without wings, to boot!

I went up to Chloe, and started flying alongside her. I left a very faint blue trail behind me, which the Flock was keen on following. I started flying circles around Chloe, and soon we started circling each other in mid-air, forming a small spiral in the sky. I turned myself upside down and looked up at Chloe; she was smiling, and she appeared happier than she had ever been before.

"Everybody down! News chopper!" Great, Max said the four words I _didn't_ want to hear.

_Oh well,_ I thought to Chloe. _The fun had to end some time, didn't it?_ Chloe didn't answer, she just frowned, pointed herself towards the ground, and dive-bombed. Oh, great. I went down below Chloe, and when I was underneath her, I caught her from underneath.

_Hey! What was that for, Jackson!_

_You're not good enough at flying yet to dive-bomb all the way down to the ground. Did you stop at all to think about that? What if you couldn't pull up in time? You'd be a splattered heap of skin and feathers down on the ground below._

_Umm… I didn't think about that… But ew, Jackson! Not a pretty picture!_

_Yeah, whatever_, I shot back. I landed us down on the ground, and Chloe proceeded to pull in her wings, immediately hiding them. I started to head back to my car.

"Jackson?" Max ran up to me. "Where are you going?"

"I have to get back, fill the car back up with gas, and clean my room. My parents are coming back in… oh, three hours?"

"Your parents? You mean the ones that took a week off in Vegas?" Max put extra emphasis on the Vegas part of the sentence.

"Yes, those parents. If you all want to come over, I can introduce everybody. They're pretty nice, and my mom is going to make chocolate chip cookies." I saw something in Max's eyes as soon as I said chocolate chip cookies, and I knew it sealed the deal. "They say that everybody has a price tag. I guess yours is a chocolate chip cookie!"

_**TWO HOURS LATER… (A/N yes I know I'm being lazy here, but give me a break! I mean did you really want me to describe Jackson, Chloe, and the Flock cleaning up the house? No? Then stop whining!) BTW Still Jackson POV**_

I checked the clock on the microwave: my parents were going to be home in maybe ten minutes. Time to fill everybody in. I walked into the media room… and saw Max, Fang, and Chloe playing Rock Band, of all things. I could tell that Iggy wanted to play… but he's blind, so there's no way to tell him what to do at what time because the game is completely visual in terms of gameplay. At least he could listen to the music…

I went and picked up the controller that controlled the microphone, and pressed pause on the game. Everybody turned around, and was about to yell when they saw me holding my hands up.

"Alright everybody, here's the deal. The parental units are coming home in about ten minutes. Max, get ready to start on the cookie batter. You guys can keep playing, but when I come down here to get you all, I don't want to hear any complaining. Got it?" Everybody nodded. "Oh yeah, Angel? No mind controlling my parents. Are we clear?"

"Are you telling them about your powers?" Chloe asked the question, and I went over to her and gave her a big hug.

"I don't think I'm going to tell them… that is, unless they somehow know I've been taking the car out for joyrides. Or more specifically, to go pick you up every day this week." Chloe just giggled, and gave me a small kiss on the lips.

"Ew!" Gazzy said that, and let one rip.

"Gazzy, I'm going to kill you if you do that in front of my parents, do you understand me?! And don't even think about mimicking me, because if you do so help me I will shock you so badly that you'll look like you just stuck your hand in an outlet for a whole week!" Gasman looked at me weakly after my little outburst. I guess I scared him a little bit.

I checked my phone. Crap, they were going to be here in about two minutes now!

"Okay, game goes off! They're here in two minutes, and we need to tidy up this room!" The Flock sprung into action, unplugging all the cords from the game peripherals, wrapping the cords around said peripherals, and stacking them neatly in the corner.

I didn't hear anything, but everybody else looked directly above us. "They're here!" Chloe was excited; I was going to introduce her to my parents. Crap, I was so freaking nervous. What if they didn't approve?…

Everybody went upstairs via an outdoor pathway, and we re-entered the house through another door on the same level as the foyer. I saw my parents going back to their room.

"Alright, you all stay here for a second, I'll bring them out," I said in a whisper that only the seven of them could possibly ever hear. I crept back towards my parents' room, staying as quiet as possible. When I saw them unpacking their suitcases, I decided a little prank might be best. I concentrated, and the lights started to flicker. My mom, started darting her eyes around the room, as if looking for an apparition, while my dad started heading out the door so he could get a look at the circuit breaker. I had hidden myself behind the door, and as soon as my dad passed, I reached out, and grabbed him on the shoulder, making him jump at least six inches in the air.

He turned around, saw me, and burst out laughing. "Jackson, my boy, how have you been this past week?"

"Pretty well," I answered. Then, in a lower voice, "how much did Mom lose on the slots this time?"

"Five grand," Dad replied. "But I won it all back on craps, so it's okay." I gave him a high five at that.

"Oh yeah, Mom? Dad? I have some friends over I'd like to introduce to all of you."

My dad instantly spun towards me. "I thought we told you not to invite friends over when you were staying here alone!" I shrugged.

"Like your rules have stopped me before, Dad? Anyways, they're really nice people, trust me. And there's one in particular I want you to meet." I started walking back towards where Chloe and the Flock were waiting, sending a thought out to Angel: _Alright, tell everybody that they can come out. I'm bringing my dad back to meet everybody first; he's more agreeable. Ask Max if she has that cookie batter ready yet. If so, sweet, if not, oh well._

I led my dad back to the kitchen, where Max was fastidiously placing cookie batter onto the cookie sheets. Chloe was helping her in the process, and it seemed like they were a perfect team. "Jackson," my dad started, "may I ask why they're making chocolate chip cookies?"

"Umm… because they want to? Alright, guess it's time to start introductions. I'll start with the youngest first and go older. Remember how I told you all before we left that there were six new students joining the school? Well, they're all here." I started pointing at each member of the Flock, and saying their cover name. I was saving introducing Chloe for last.

"The youngest one is Ariel, Zephyr is the one who looks like her brother, she's Crystal, this is Jeff, the dark and gloomy one is Nick." Fang shot me a death glare. If looks could kill… "The oldest one of them is Max, she's the blond girl." I went over to Chloe, and wrapped my arm around her waist.

"And this is my girlfriend Chloe." My dad pretty much went slack-jawed right there.

"I thought you weren't dating anybody Jackson!" I shrugged.

"Recent thing, became official on Monday. Is Mom out of the damn bedroom yet?" By the time my mom came out, the cookies had already finished baking, and everybody had started digging in. At first she was amazed by the massive quantity of kids in our kitchen, but once she learned that the Flock were the new students, she relaxed. Of course, as soon as I introduced Chloe to her, she went ballistic. And when I say ballistic, I mean ballistic.

Once all the craziness died down, my dad just had to bring out a terrible question that I hoped he wouldn't.

"Jackson, I hate to ruin the moment but I was reviewing the security tapes from the cameras around the house, and on Monday's footage I saw something strange." He proceeded to pull out his phone, and opened up the security footage of everybody's fight with HRG and the Haitan. Crap. I had hoped that the Company would have had the wisdom to delete that footage…

"Shit." That was all I could think of to say. "Um, Dad? I've got a, um, secret that I've got to tell you…"

**Attack of the cliffhangers! Sorry this chapter took so long; I was really busy today, not including the fact that I got into a small car accident. Nothing major, just a trip to the body shop required. But remember all of you that haven't started driving yet: Don't make the mistake I did and automatically assume you're good enough to make a tight squeeze. Always assume you are not in the clear if the situation is questionable.**

**If things go really, REALLY well, I might have chapter 13 up tonight, but that's doubtful. As always, read/review, and enjoy. **


	13. Chapter 13: Brought to Light

**Sorry for leaving you guys off with a cliffhanger last time. Time for the explanations from hell! *rubs his hands together evilly***

**Disclaimer: You know what? No. If you haven't seen it yet, then either you're blind or get your eyes checked. So there.**

**Claimer: All original characters belong to me, moi, and myself.**

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**Jackson POV (A/N: I know, right? Don't worry, last chapter before normal life)**

_Last time… "Um, Dad? I've got a, um, secret that I've got to tell you…"_

My dad just looked at me strangely. He didn't know what to expect, because at the part of the video where I used my electricity, the screen went all fuzzy so he couldn't see it.

"What kind of secret is this, Jackson? How long have you been keeping something from us?"

"Er, about three years now. To tell you, I'm going to have to start with a story. Say that, hypothetically—"

"Three _years_?!" My mom was frantic. "Young man, how dare you hide something from us!"

"Would you stop interrupting me! I didn't tell you because it was for your own good!" The lights started to flicker at this, and my eyes had turned electric blue again; I saw it in my reflection on the window. "Well, there's one aspect of the secret; my eyes are glowing blue. Great." I sighed, and relaxed. The lights returned to normal.

"Now, on with the story. Say that, hypothetically, humans have already evolved to the next stage of their existence. But say that, hypothetically, it's the result of a genetic mutation, and that hypothetically only about half a percent of the human population has the mutation. Now, say that, hypothetically of course, everybody with the mutation is gifted with a superhuman ability, like flight or invisibility." My parents didn't seem amused. "Now say that none of this is hypothetical, and that it's all true. Now add to the mix that I have the genetic mutation responsible for the ability, and that I'm superhuman."

"Jackson, if this is some kind of joke, then you are grounded for a month."

"Honestly Dad? I don't care if I'm grounded, because I'll just black out the whole neighborhood, which brings me to the ability I got." I held out my right hand, and made a small lightning orb in it. I looked around, and saw that there was a metal spoon laying on the counter. I transferred the orb to my left hand, aimed, and fired a small bolt of electricity at the spoon. I looked back at my parents; their eyes had dropped to the floor.

"I have the ability to generate and manipulate electricity in various ways, shapes, and forms. That's why my eyes are glowing blue right now, and how I just shot a small lightning bolt out of my hand."

"But, when did this start? Why couldn't you trust us with this?"

I sighed.

"It started when I was in seventh grade, specifically when John **(A/N: Yes, that John that Fang beat up. Remember how I said in an earlier chapter that Jackson had been pushed around by John until seventh grade?)** tried to beat me up with a metal baseball bat. He had cornered me, and I raised my hand. Suddenly, a blue flash came out of my hand, and next thing I knew, there was electricity running the length of my hand and John was convulsing on the floor. The reason I didn't tell you guys?" I pointed at the security footage. "Those guys. They're supposed to catalog every single evolved human, and take in the dangerous ones. They've taken me in twice, and I've broken out twice… the second time I had help of course."

"I know it's not our place, but do you have one of these… abilities… but neither of us do?"

"It's because of the way the genes worked out," I answered. "Both of you I guess had one of genes that gave me the ability, but neither had the other required. So when you had me, I got them both, and I got a power. That's probably why, but I'm not sure." I stopped for a second. "Look, can we all just forget about this and enjoy our weekend? I'd like to go through this weekend without you two barraging me with questions about what I can and can't do. If you don't stop, I'll just cause a blackout in the neighborhood… and believe me, I _can_ do it."

My parents never answered. Instead, we all dug in to our chocolate chip cookies, had a little more fun, and everybody went home. I insisted on going home with Chloe, so we flew back home high in the sky. I found that it was easier to fly this time than it had been last. Maybe it's because I'd done it before.

_Jackson?_ I heard Chloe's voice in my head. I had nearly forgotten that the telepathic link was still open.

_Yeah?_

_Do you think I should tell my parents about the whole wings thing?_ Oh boy. This was a tough question to have to answer, but I decided that the best course of action would be the one I took.

_I suggest you keep it a secret until you have absolutely no choice but to tell them, i.e you're seen flying by them, they see you with your wings out, or somebody is trying to use them to get to you. I'd also be careful; the School has various branches so I don't know if they're going to send Erasers after you or not._

_Oh… I kind of wanted to tell them, but then again, they might freak out and take it the wrong way._ I knew that much; I had met Chloe's parents on Thursday, and they definitely seemed like the type to be judgmental. The whole night I was over at their place, I was under the microscope, and they were examining me for any flaws in my character. Just wait until they found out that Chloe had wings… that would be one hell of an interesting conversation…

We finally arrived at Chloe's house. We landed in a tree to the side of her house. I had Chloe tuck in her wings so that nobody could see it, and then I took a hold of her and flew down to the bottom of the tree. I walked her up to the house, where she opened the door. We shared an embrace and a kiss before she went inside, leaving me alone in the cold of the night. I flew back to my house and went to sleep.

The next day passed by in a blur. We all went for a flight that day, under the excuse that Chloe and I were going to the mall. We were flying for a nice long period of time, and I discovered that I'm the only one of our merry group of aerial acrobats that can actually hover in place without moving. Not to say I like it or anything; it's just interesting. I could have sworn I saw a Company vehicle on the freeway while we were above it a few times, but I couldn't be certain. Oh well.

That night, Chloe and I did our homework together, technically cheating on it but whatever. We went out to dinner, and then once I had taken Chloe back to her place, I took a shower and went to bed. Who knew what the next week may hold…

**Sorry for the shortest, and quite possibly worst chapter so far. But you know what this means? Back to the everyday life chapters! John gets his ass whooped once again, and a certain Heroes character comes to the school unannounced, and with not quite friendly intentions…**


	14. Chapter 14: What's a Telepath?

**Hello everybody. Sorry for the terribad last chapter, I actually couldn't think of any good way to get back to normal life chapters. I had thought of making Noah Bennet come back **_**again**_** to try and make Jackson join up with Primatech, but that would just be redundant and turn it into an unintentional running gag, so no. Anyways, normal life chapters coming up, along with all the insanity that comes with it.  
Disclaimer: ZZZZzzzzz**

**Claimer: (snores so loudly that everybody in China can hear him)**

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**Jackson POV**

Alarm blaring way too loud, again. I look at the clock: 6:20. Great. Back to school after an absolutely insane weekend that involved abduction, flying, confession, and most importantly, my girlfriend getting wings. Epic. And now I'm expected to go back to school and just be normal? Way to put a double standard on everybody, world.

I forced myself to get ready, and after eating and getting ready to brush my teeth, my electric toothbrush died. _I don't have time for this!_ I focused my energy and charged the toothbrush a bit with my own electricity, brushed my teeth, and stepped out of the house.

I got to school bright and early at 7:20 AM. Why did I come so early? Probably because Fang, Iggy and I would plot the next prank of ours.

I got on campus, headed over to my locker, and instantly felt a pair of arms wrapped around my shoulders. I was about to electrocute the person who was doing it… until I realized it was Chloe. How the hell did she get here so freaking early?

"Nice to see you too Chloe… now can you stop squeezing the life out of me!" Chloe relaxed her grip, but didn't actually let go. I guess she'd forgotten that because of the bird DNA newly present in her, she was much stronger. Perfect.

Once she finally let me go, I looked her over. Damn she looked good, but who am I kidding? She _always_ looks good. She was wearing skinny jeans, a form-fitting shirt, and…

_Chloe,_ I thought to her, noticing the electric blue tinting my vision, _please tell me that the enormous brown feather in your hair isn't yours._

"It is," she replied a little sheepishly.

"Darn it Chloe, you're not supposed to pull those things out! Wasn't it painful?" She nodded, and rubbed her back. I know the wings were hidden, but I could tell that she still felt them on her back.

I looked towards where Chloe had sprung out at me from, and saw Fang, Iggy, and Max all relaxing on a bench.

"Hey Sparky," Max called. Iggy let out a laugh, and Fang smirked. I sent a small shock into Max.

"Don't _ever_ call me Sparky, not unless you want your wings to look like Kentucky Fried Chicken. Sparky is what the Erasers called me when Chloe was in the middle of getting experimented on, so it tends to make me pretty angry. Understand?" Max nodded. Anything to do with the School instantly made all five of us stiffen up.

We made small talk about the joys of flying as more people started to show up. Then, roughly twenty minutes after I arrived at school, I heard Chloe let out a small yelp. I turned around, and punched whoever was behind her straight in the jaw.

"Yo man, what was that for? All I did was touch her ass!" It was John. Go figure.

"Yo pansy," Fang said cockily.

"What'd you say you little punk?! I'm going to kill you right now!" Fang gave John a death glare.

"Bring it," Fang muttered. He got up, and just stood there waiting for John to throw the first punch. But it never came.

"Naw, no point in fighting somebody I've already fought. I want to fight…" John settled his eyes on me. "You. Davis. You and me, lunch, right here. Got it?"

"John," I started, "are you telling me you don't remember what happened last time you tried to fight me? You came at me with a baseball bat, and I'm guessing the next thing you knew you woke up on the floor of the locker room at 8:00 that night. Am I right?"

"Yeah, well, it won't be the same this time around Davis. I don't even remember you touching me back then!"

_That's because I didn't,_ I thought grimly to Chloe. _He made my ability manifest, so I accidentally made him have a seizure. I'm not sure how he'll take to fighting me now._

"Alright, I'll fight you. Just don't go crying to your so-called buddies when you lose, 'kay?"

"Why you little! Get back here!"

"We're not supposed to fight until lunch, you muscle-bound idiot. Or are you that anxious to lose?" I laughed and started walking away. Max, Iggy, Fang, and Chloe all followed me.

"You gonna use your power on him?" Iggy was asking this question.

"Definitely," I replied back. "Of course, I won't make it flashy or anything; I'll just make every blow release a shockwave, with the emphasis on shock."

"Good," Fang mumbled. I really needed to get him to talk more, didn't I?

Right then, the bell rang. "Great," I mumbled. "Science first. Fun fun!"

**Max POV**

We got into the science classroom, and found strange equipment at the lab tables. Everybody was already gathered around most of the tables, so Fang, Iggy, Jackson and I went over to the last open one.

I elbowed Jackson to get his attention. "What's this stuff for?"

He looked at me strangely. "Today's the DNA lab. One person from each lab group has to give a small sample of their DNA, and we need to make it so that it appears in a test tube. I guess I'm the lucky donor."

_Thank god,_ I thought to myself. _Our DNA would have come up part bird, and then everybody would find out we weren't human…_

"Okay everybody, sit down at your lab stations," the teacher, a young woman in her mid twenties, said as she walked in. "Now, today we're going to be taking DNA samples. Every group, select one person to give the sample." We all pointed at Jackson. He tried to point at all three of us, and made a fool of himself in the process.

I noticed his eyes had turned blue again. Guess he was talking to Chloe. _Again_.

The teacher came around, and handed us something that we were supposed to swab Jackson's mouth with. Jackson at first refused, but Fang pried his mouth open, and I swabbed it on the inside.

"What the hell was that for? I was gonna open my mouth eventually!" Fang didn't answer. This class was getting boring, and fast…

**Jackson POV**

It was lunch period. I was in the locker area, just waiting for John to show his miserable face. I wonder if he chickened out?

"Yo, Davis!" I turned, and saw John strutting towards me all confident. It's not like he was going to win or anything…

"You ready to lose, pansy?" He was clearly a little over-confident here.

"C'mon Jackson, beat him to a pulp!" That was Max.

"You think I should bomb his locker again?" I wanted to yell at Iggy to shut up right then.

_You can do it Jackson!_ Chloe was talking in my head now. _Get him back for grabbing my ass! I nearly snapped open my wings when he did that; that would have been really bad! Beat him up!_

"So," I said to John, "since I'm feeling generous, you can have the first punch."

John, didn't answer, he was squinting his eyes strangely. What was he doing? I didn't get a chance to answer, because even though I dodged John's punch, he got me with a left hook immediately after, as if he knew where I was going to be…

I swung my fist into an uppercut, but he dodged out of the way right before I could hit him. I followed up with a roundhouse kick, but he dodged that like he saw it coming a mile away.

I kept raining a flurry of blows at him, but he dodged each and every last one of them. Everybody was confused; John had never been this fast.

_What's going on here? Is he a telepath or something?_

"What's a telepath?" John said right then. Got you. I put up a static barrier around my thoughts that would hold for a limited time, and I proceeded to begin dodging his attacks while talking to Chloe.

_Chloe, John has a power too. He's reading my thoughts, so here's what I need you to do. Grab your MP3 player, and put on a song. In this case, put on Blow Me Away by Breaking Benjamin, and once you hear it, think about only what you're hearing, and think it to me. That way, all John will be able to pick up is music._

_Alright, I'll do that, _she responded calmly. She reached into her bag, pulled out her MP3 player, put her headphones in, chose the song, and pressed play. Max, Fang, and Iggy asked what was going on, and she told them. I could hear the music in my head thanks to Chloe, so that's all the John would pick up.

Now… where was I?

"Keep on trying John, but you're not dodging another one of my attacks."

I came in close, and got John with a nasty kick that exploded with a small electrical shockwave. I sent him flying about three feet, and he hit the ground flat on his tailbone. He got up really slowly, but once he had I was already in there, getting ready for the next blow.

He punched me… or tried to, anyways. I grabbed his fist, and sent a small electrical shock up his arm. Now, he wouldn't be able to punch me at all as hard.

"What the hell did you just do to me Davis…" I leaned in close to whisper my response.

"You were reading my thoughts, so I only thought it fair to… even the playing field, as you might say. I started sending small electrical shocks into your body so that you would start getting weaker, and weaker, and weaker. So unless you want me to paralyze you for a day, admit defeat. _Now._"

John got to his feet unsteadily. I'd pumped him full of electricity, with each blow he landed on me only increasing the danger. He very nearly fell backwards.

"Fine Davis… you… win…" After saying that, he fell flat on his face and passed out. I almost pitied the guy… _almost_.

_Nice job! How did you figure out he was reading your mind?_ Chloe was asking me this question in my head.

_I asked myself if he was a telepath, and he answered with asking me what one was. What an idiot._ I was kind of concerned though. Should I tell Noah Bennet about John? I decided I had to; who knows what he would do with that kind of power, considering the sick mind he has.

I pulled out my phone and shot off an e-mail to Primatech. I just hoped it was the right thing to do…

**Okay, not the best chapter, but at least there was a fight scene. **

**Sorry for the loooooong wait, but I got attacked by none other than ****writer's block****. **

**Next chapter: An unwelcomed visitor at the school dance from the Heroes-verse… can you guess who?**


	15. Chapter 15: All Good Things

**Another normal life chapter! Or as normal as it gets… The school dance is coming up, and the pairs are set. Max is going with Fang, Jackson is going with Chloe, and Iggy… asks a girl out. Fun fun! Of course… An unwelcome visitor from the Heroes-verse just has to wind up stopping in. You all ready for a chapter that's gonna be better than the last two?**

**Disclaimer: I'm not James Patterson. If you haven't figured that out yet, get an IQ test. I'm also not Tim Kring, even though I really enjoyed the Volume Four opening last night.**

**Claimer: OCs all belong to me. Merci beaucoup.**

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**Jackson POV**

The next day at school, there was a high school assembly. It was one of those annoyingly long ones that take up way too much time. Hopefully the faculty members would actually get their act together and finish this up fast…

Iggy, Max, Fang, Chloe, and I all arrived late to assembly, so we got caught standing in the corner. The bleachers were all filled, and I heard the buzz going through the sophomore class: John was gone. No call to the school saying he was sick, no trace of him on Facebook, no nothing. His parents actually put out a missing persons notice!

_And that's the magic of the Company… in and out before you ever realize they were there. Eventually I'll have them get him out. _

The head of school eventually came up to the microphone, and after clearing his throat, made one hell of an announcement to the school.

"Good morning, everybody. I would like to announce that this Friday is the high school dance that you have all so eagerly awaited." While the head of school spoke in monotone, everybody took the meaning of his words, rather than his tone. The crowd erupted in a flurry of speech. The head of school pulled out an air horn (what the hell?) and blared it. Everybody grumbled, but quieted down eventually. The five of us were in the corner trying not to laugh.

"As I was saying, the dance will be this Friday here in the gym. We are going to try and make it look as nice as possible, and we would appreciate all the help we can get."

"Don't even think about it," I heard Max say. "We're trying to lay low; no point in doing anything to draw unnecessary attention… or any more than you've all already drawn."

"Dress code is slightly formal. For boys, this means you can wear a pair of jeans with a dress shirt on. For girls, this means put on slightly more formal clothing than what you wear on a day-to-day basis. Have a good day everybody, and please come to the dance on Friday." Well, he certainly didn't mince words.

"Chloe," I said, "you're going to the dance with me, right?"

"Of course I am!" she replied happily. "Who else would I go with, _John_?" I got a little grin at that, but I still felt a little guilty. I'd have to tell Bennet not to keep John for too long… just long enough to make him not use his ability for stupid things. I pushed the thought to the back of my mind. I knew what was coming afterschool today: Chloe would ask me to go to the mall with her, because she wanted to go dress shopping. Figures. Oh well, a man's got to do what a man's got to do.

**Fang POV** **(A/N: Didn't expect one of these did you? No, you expected a Max POV. Too bad.)**

School dance, huh? That sounded kind of interesting. Maybe Max would go with me… who knows.

After assembly was let out, we all left the gym as fast as we possibly could. That place was incredibly annoying when everybody in the high school was crammed in there. It felt like the School, just minus the dog cages. I looked to my left, and saw Max. Guess I would ask now.

"Max."

"Yeah Fang?"

"Dance is Friday. Want to go with me?" I never was one to mince words.

"Um…" What I would have given to have Angel with me so I could have known what was running through her mind.

"Uh, okay, Fang, I guess… " She was visibly embarrassed. I decided to drop the subject. "But Fang, if I'm going with you, and Jackson's going with Chloe, then who's Iggy going with?"

"Good question," I answered. "He'll just have to ask a girl."

**Iggy POV**

Why did I always have to have the worst luck of all of us? I'm blind, I'm forced to cook all of the meals for our merry Flock, and now I don't have a date for the dance while everybody else in our little cadre has paired up. Was the world out to get me or something?

I took a seat in my class. History. It didn't matter that I couldn't see; the class was more audio-oriented anyways, and for the few things that did require sight, the teacher made me exempt from any requirement for those.

I was going to start listening to the teacher when I heard a tap on my shoulder. I had no idea who it was. Could it be an Eraser?

"Um, hi. You're Jeff Ride, right?" It was a girl's voice. I had no idea who she was; I didn't have a face to accompany the voice.

"Yeah," I answered.

"I'm, uh, Alexandra. Listen, um… do you, like have a date for the dance?" Wait a minute, what? Was she asking me if I wanted to go?

"No, I don't. But if you want to… I mean, do you want to go with me?"

"Oh my god, really? That's so sweet of you! So, I guess I'll see you there on Friday?"

"Um, yeah…"

"Alright! I'll be waiting Jeff!" Wow. Did I really get a date for the dance just like that?...

**Jackson POV**

The rest of the week flew by lightning fast (puns not intended). It was Friday before I knew it, and I was all set for the dance. Just put on a little cologne and…

I heard the doorbell ring. I rushed downstairs, opened the door, and saw Chloe there. God, she looked amazing. She was wearing relatively casual clothing: A small skirt with a form-fitting top on. She always looked amazing though, so I couldn't really tell if this was a good day or a bad.

"You ready to go?" I said, wrapping my arms around her for a hug. We shared an embrace and a small kiss.

"Yeah," she said. We headed on over to the school, and when we arrived the gym was packed full of students. Who knew a high school dance chaperoned by teachers would be this popular?

"Yo Jackson! Chloe!" I turned; it was Fang. He and Max were standing off to the corner. I looked around, and saw Iggy talking to… Alexandra?

"Not to be rude or anything," I whispered to Fang, "but how did he get _her_ to go with him?"

"Beats me," Fang replied quickly. That guy said what he needed to say, no more, no less. If there was anybody who could get a message across in as few words as possible, it was Fang.

I didn't bother with any more details; Chloe and I just went out on the dance floor and had some fun.

First, there were the normal party songs; a strange collection of hip-hop, rap, and pop. After that, they played the rave song "One More Time" by Daft Punk. That was fun; Iggy and I were jumping up and down in the middle of a mosh pit. Fang was standing off to the side with Max for this.

But all good things must come to an end, right? Of course, the end that happened wasn't the end I was expecting.

In the middle of another Daft Punk song, suddenly the music and lights just completely went out. The doors to the gym closed, and when Fang tried to open them, they wouldn't budge, even with his mutant bird-kid strength.

This was bad. Really bad. I had heard Bennet tell me that this would happen just before a victim showed up. The victims were always evolved humans like me.

"Guys, we need to be really careful right now. Everybody stay close. There's somebody here… somebody really bad…"

Suddenly, there was a strange screaming noise, and a few of the chaperones went flying through the air. I was scared witless. Only one word escaped my mouth… the one word I didn't want to have to say.

"_Sylar."_


	16. Chapter 16: Sylar

**Hehe, sorry for the cliffhanger that ended the last chapter. But hey, a moment like that just **_**needed**_** a cliffhanger. Guess you all know who the "unwelcome visitor" is by now. Anyways, enjoy the chapter. Sylar fight! Sorry, but this is probably going to be a completely Jackson POV chapter again.**

**Disclaimer: Yeah yeah yeah.**

**Claimer: Like I said. OCs belong to me.**

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**Jackson POV**

Crap.

Crap.

Crap.

That was all I could think as I saw the people flying through the air, propelled by supposedly impossible means.

Sylar was here. And Sylar never appears unless there's an evolved human who has a power he wants.

Which meant that he was after me. I was the target this time. And so far, only one person that Sylar had successfully captured had lived to tell the tale. And I had doubts that I would be number two…

Eventually, Sylar had worked his way over to where the six of us stood. He was intimidating: he wore dark clothing, had black hair that was cut short, and had a horrifying visage, with this strange grin plastered on his face that would even make Lucifer wet his pants. I pushed Chloe behind me, as did Fang with Max, and Iggy with Alexandra. Then, Sylar did the unexpected.

"You," he said, pointing at… Alexandra?! I heard her swallow hard. Sylar flicked two fingers, and Alexandra went flying up against the wall.

"No! Don't!" I heard Iggy cry out. Sylar was holding him down telekinetically, and threw him against another wall.

I saw Alexandra rising higher and higher up on the wall. Sylar brought his right hand up to begin cutting her skull off… and he failed. A force field had appeared around Alexandra, breaking Sylar's telekinetic hold on her, and letting her fall back to the ground unharmed.

This gave me an idea. I turned towards the members of the Flock that were with me.

"Fang, take this." I pulled out a switchblade that I carried with me so I didn't have to use my power to fight people off. "That man is called Sylar. He's practically invincible, except for one spot. I need you to take this knife, and jab it in the back of his neck, right here." I pointed to the spot on the back of my neck. "I'll keep him busy. Hurry!" Fang nodded grimly, and took off quietly.

I turned towards Sylar, and did something incredibly, insanely stupid. "Hey! Dumbass!"

Sylar turned towards me. Somehow, even something so simple as turning his head could be done with an evil demeanor surrounding it.

"Why don't you leave the girl alone, and take me on instead."

"You?" he responded, smirking. "You have nothing I want. Why would I want to kill you?"

"Oh really?" I said, cocking my head to one side. I was about to reveal my ability to everybody in the whole school, but if it meant saving a few people, it was worth it. "Then show you're not a coward. Come and get me."

Sylar dropped his hold on Alexandra, turning his whole body towards me. "My pleasure," he said. He lifted his hand, but before he could throw me, I flew up into the air, and landed down behind him.

"Sure I don't have anything you want?" He turned around fast, and barely missed me with a left hook. "You know, you probably have some anger management issues you need worked out."

He took the opportunity while I was talking to throw me against the wall. I slammed it hard, feeling pain shoot up my body. I got to my feet, and decided it was time for fun.

"You know, I was hoping I could avoid this, but you've left me no choice." I turned sideways, whipped my left hand across my body, and fired an arc of lightning at Sylar. It got him straight on in the chest. He was slightly dazed, and everybody in the gym was staring at me. I took the time to give myself the advantage, rising about fifteen feet in the air so that I was looking down upon him.

_Hurry up Fang,_ I thought. _I won't be able to keep him away much longer._

"What's that? You want some more? Fine by me!" I held out both my hands, and shot immense beams of lightning straight at Sylar. He took it straight in the chest, electricity pouring out of every orifice in his body… and by every orifice, I mean _every_ orifice. It wasn't a pretty sight, to say the least.

Sylar got back up, seemingly unfazed by the blasts. It was the healing ability he'd stolen from Claire; she couldn't be killed normally and now neither could he.

"You know, I thought the great Sylar would be more of a challenge than this." I held out my left arm, and made the lightning sword appear. "Maybe you need to step it up a notch, Gabriel?"

"You son of a bitch I'm going to take pleasure in killing you slo—" Sylar never got to finish his sentence. Fang had gotten behind him, and stabbed the switchblade in the back of his neck. The doors may have opened up, but the lights hadn't come back on, so I went over to the closest electrical outlet. I put my hand on the outlet, and poured out vast amounts of electricity. Slowly but surely, the lights in the gym came back on, and we all got a good, clean look at the damage I'd done to Sylar.

His shirt was nearly completely disintegrated by the lightning I'd repeatedly fired at him. Of course, there were no physical blemishes on his body, aside from the knife sticking out of the back of his neck. I saw somebody step forward and reach out towards the knife. I held up left arm, made the lightning sword, and held him back.

"Don't even think about it. This guy can't be killed; as soon as you pull the knife out he'll revive. No, I've got to call somebody that can help."

I pulled out my phone, and called Noah Bennet.

"Hello?"

"Yeah, Noah? It's Jackson. Sylar attacked my school tonight. We incapacitated him via knife to the back of the neck; I'd suggest sending over a company vehicle to come and pick him up before somebody here does something stupid and knocks the knife out of his neck."

"Alright, we'll be there in a few minutes. Stay where you are."

I looked over at everybody in the gym. They were all looking for an explanation as to how I was shooting lightning out of my hands.

"If you're wondering how I did what I did, don't even think you're getting an explanation out of me, because it won't be forced out. Technically what I did is scientifically impossible, so no, you can't run tests on me or anything. I am not your lab rat, I am not your test subject, and I am not your protector. Got it? Good."

I turned around, and waited for Bennet to arrive. When he finally came, he took Sylar, shoved him in the company vehicle, commended us on a job well done, and had the Haitian erase the memory of everybody present, except for myself, Max, Fang, Iggy, Alexandra, and Chloe; I expressly forbade him from laying a finger on our memories.

After all was said and done, we all left. Chloe and I flew back to her place, and I dropped her off. When I got back to my place, I found that I was completely and utterly exhausted. I laid down on my bed, and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.


End file.
